The Challenges of Time (時間の挑戦)
by shadowonaqua
Summary: One day, Chizuru's self-made figurines of the Shinsengumi have come to life. Enter a world where loss is as common as forgetfulness, and trust and loyalty are tested at every step. Witness the new lives of the Shinsengumi captains and commanders, and welcome to a life where transversing time brings forth challenges never seen in decades past. (AU) (Chizuru x Shinsengumi Captains)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey all! I watched Hakuoki for the first time last week, and I was intrigued by its interpretation of the Shinsengumi, the events that occurred the Shinsengumi's history, and the psychology of the commanders and captains of this shogunate military group. And so here is my first story, written as an alternate universe where the Shinsengumi gets thrown into a world that they don't know anything about.**

 **Please comment/follow/favorite/subscribe! This is my first story ever written, and so I really want to improve for all of you. I hope you all enjoy, and thank you for reading!**

 **A.N. I only own the story, and own nothing of Hakuoki, the Shinsengumi, or the characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

"Thanks, Sen-chan!" a young woman with black hair and maroon highlights waved as she hung her barista apron and picked her bag up from the coat stand. Chizuru put her coat on to brave the crisp and chill autumn wind and stretched out her legs, which were sore from standing for the last four hours.

"No worries, Chi-chan! I'll close up tonight, so study hard!" her friend and colleague at the campus café waved back, albeit with a worried gaze. "Please get some sleep tonight?"

Chizuru shrugged, this wouldn't be the first nor the last time she stayed up after leaving the café down in the evening. Yet, she sent her friend a sincere smile, "Will try! Good night!"

"Night!"

Upon opening the front door of the café, a sudden gust of frigid wind blew at Chizuru, sending her long hair into a frenzy. She could never understand why the weather in the northeast was so sporadic, as it was only September and city-goers were already downing knee-length coats. But that was what she had to deal with to study at one of the best universities in the country. She had no choice; with no family left, there was nothing to go back to in the small rural village she grew up in.

 _Stop thinking about this again, just get home first_. She shook her head before pulling the fluffy hood over her head to protect her ears. Chizuru sighed as she realized she had once again lapsed into sadness. She was aware of the loneliness that plagued her life ever since her family passed away from the epidemic just one year before. The wound of losing her closest confidantes and number-one supporters still felt like a fresh wound in her heart, and she had yet to repair that gaping hole in her life.

The epidemic itself was also a mystery, and Chizuru was one of the few who survived its aftermath. This new and deadly killer had stumped even the top researchers from all over the world, as the bacteria responsible was resistant to every antibiotic and had only come existence within the last two years. It had even managed to evade the drastic methods of increasing pressure, temperature, radiation, and acidity in laboratory settings. But despite its ability to ensure a guaranteed but slow death upon infection, it was rare for the infection to occur. So far, it had only plagued the many rural villages that dotted the vast expanses of the country's land. Unfortunately, Chizuru's family did reside in one of those very areas, and had fallen victim to the disease's destruction.

Indeed, the tragic event was also successful at solidifying Chizuru's drive to become a physician. If she had her way, she would have majored in art. However, she was now on her own and had to make sure that she could live a comfortable life. Being an artist was simply too risky for anyone with no surviving family members or stable financial support, so Chizuru decided to follow the logical, responsible, and noble path of medicine.

Yet, a meager inheritance and little to no background in medicine also forced the young woman to take up a part-time job and enroll in evening pre-medical supplementary classes in order to maintain stellar grades in her science classes for the campus-wide academic scholarship that she was a part of. So as Chizuru climbed up the steps of her apartment and unlocked the front door, she sighed as a result of the sheer number of tasks that she still had to complete.

"Mom, Dad, I'm home," Chizuru greeted the lone picture frame that decorated the living room upon entering. She bowed deeply and took a deep breath in before kneeling in front of her parents' images. "In case you're wondering, today has been okay so far. Work was nice, and Sen helped a lot with dealing with some rowdy students. It is Friday, after all," Chizuru recounted, as if her parents were sitting right in front of her. "Anyway, I'm going to go and study!" she smiled and pumped her fist into the air, as if to give herself a boost in energy. "Today's lecture was interesting, and I do need to catch up on studying. I might do some pottery later, but we'll see."

She stood up and bowed ninety-degrees once again. "Wish me luck, Mom and Dad. I miss you. Love you too," she murmured. Chizuru then made her way to her combined bed and study room, set down her bag, and pulled out her organic chemistry textbook. "Okay, let's do this!" she exclaimed before diving fully into her work.

[薄桜鬼]

The clock's light ringing sounded at midnight, and Chizuru yawned while setting her pencil down. She just finished the last question in the problem set, and could technically go to bed. However, despite the fatigue that she could feel settling into her body, her mind was still on overdrive. There was no way for her to sleep at this time.

"Hmm, a hot drink and some pottery sounds nice about now," Chizuru muttered while getting up to fill the kettle with hot water. After pouring herself a steaming cup of hot water with a slice of lemon and a teaspoon of honey, she settled into her pottery bench. She had just completed the clay mold the last of the seven figures of famous samurai from the Shinsengumi the day before, and Chizuru smiled as she began to mix various paints together. She had always been fascinated with the legendary samurai organization that protected the Shogun and kept their loyalty to the very end. As she delved into understanding their history as part of her Japanese history final paper in the previous semester, Chizuru had begun to carve her own figures of the group's leaders.

Despite the lack of photographs and pictures, she managed to create her own representations of each Shinsengumi member. Chizuru had no idea why, but she was somehow able to visualize each character's physique and facial features. These mental images of the men with swords felt real and raw, and so she did her best to imitate what she could see.

Another two hours passed as Chizuru painted each figure. Once she finished the last stroke of her paintbrush, she got up to place her easel and brushes in the small bucket of water that she always kept on the side. _That was productive, but thank God that it's the weekend._ Chizuru yawned again as her smartphone flashed and displayed "2:00 am" on the background. She crawled into bed, and turned so that she could face the full moon that shone bright and proud. It seemed the illuminate the entire sky, brightening the shadows even though darkness covered the entire land.

 _So pretty_ , Chizuru thought as she continued to glance at the moon. She felt safe and secure, and it helped to bridge the emotional gap that she felt within her. With such pleasant emotions in mind, she hugged her blanket tighter and succumbed to the sleep that she was so sorely lacking.

[薄桜鬼]

 _"_ _Even with tuberculosis, I will protect Kondou-san. I am his sword, that is my only purpose in life."_

 _"_ _I failed to protect Kondou-san… We said we would rise together! So why did I leave him there?! Why did I leave him there to die?!"_

 _"_ _I will serve the Aizu domain until the very end. May I carry 'Sincerity' with me onto the battlefield?"_

 _"_ _I have to catch up to Shinpachi… in Aizu…"_

 _"_ _Hijikata-san, did I help out in the end? Was I useful?"_

 _"_ _We didn't see eye to eye all the time, but I am glad to have been your comrade."_

 _"_ _See you soon, Sano! I'll be waiting for ya!"_

"Aaaah!" Chizuru yelped as she woke up in a daze, beads of sweat lining her forehead. Somehow, a barrage of voices filled her head during her sleep, and the imagery surrounding each voice bombarded her eyes and her whole being. She wanted to cry; each flashback was full of blood and sorrow. Red and white. Screams and grimaces.

But Chizuru had no time to wallow, for once her tears fell from her face, her eyes focused on a glinting piece of metal right in front of her nose, the pointed end dangerously close to her skin.

"Run away and I'll kill you," a deep voice resonated from above her. Chizuru looked up, and found herself gazing into dark-purple irises. The man staring ominously at her was dressed in the Shinsengumi patrol attire, and his metal forehead-protector sparkled in the moonlight. His long black hair was tied into a ponytail, and it seemed to sway even while he stood still. His lips were drawn in a thin line, and not a single trace of amusement was evident on his graceful facial features. _What's happening? Why does he look like Hijikata Toshizo? Why is he dressed in the Shinsengumi uniform?_ Chizuru wondered to herself while trying not to panic at the sword that could cut her head off at any moment.

"Hijikata-san, can you move? I'm about to sit on Saitou-san," a mocking voice rang out closer to her bedroom door. Chizuru looked up to see a somewhat familiar red-haired, green-eyed man whose chest was partially exposed due to the loose arrangement of the hakama.

 _Oh, so he is Hijikata Toshizo… No wonder…_ _Is that man Okita Souji?_ Chizuru held in a sigh as she came to realize why the man standing above her was so familiar. She watched as the said man turned his head to the side and responded, "Souji, I'm already as far up as I can go."

"Why are you on top of me, Shinpachi? You're freaking heavy!" a boyish yet strangled voice sounded from next to Chizuru's bed. _What? Another one?_

A loud voice echoed in laughter, "Heisuke! It's because you're too skinny and small!"

"Fat oldy."

"Twerp."

"YOU DID NOT JUST CALL ME TWERP!"

"Heisuke, calm down," another deep voice resounded close to the door, but Chizuru could not find the source.

"I think we're scaring the poor young-lady here, are we not?" a quiet voice spoke slowly and calmly, but his tone sounded suspicious. Chizuru glanced to side and found a slender man with glasses boring his gaze into hers.

"She looks frightened out of her mind, poor thing," another man with maroon hair tied into a low ponytail remarked as he made his way towards the end of her bed, a light but menacing smile on his face.

"Not like you're helping, Harada," Okita laughed merrilessly.

 _This can't be happening to me right now,_ Chizuru thought as she looked at each man in the room. All were looking right at her, waiting for her to move. She noted that each had his katana and wakizashi strapped to the waist, with the exception of Harada Sanosuke as his spear was very close to piercing her bedroom ceiling. _Wait…_

 _Where are the figurines?!_ Chizuru panicked as her eyes flickered to her bookshelf, and none of the dolls were there. _No way…_

"You cannot escape," Hijikata spoke again. "Why are you looking away?"

"Because your face is demonic, Hijikata-san," said a voice who Chizuru thought was probably Okita Souji. "But seriously, why are you waiting? Just kill her."

"Shut up."

And she fainted.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello everyone! Here is chapter 2! I hope all of you will enjoy this one as well.**

 **Also, I want to give a shout-out to _StariChanx_ , ****_Kikikitsune18_** **, _nakigaoyuu_ , and _LesCahiersDeSable_ for following/favoriting my story! And to _eliz1369_ and the two reviewers whose names showed up as "guest," I'm glad you liked the first chapter so far! I'm curious to see where this will go as well, as I only have a general outline for the whole story. Details such as emotions, locations, and situations are up to the turbulence that comes with my inspiration, my own connection with the Chizuru of this story, and how the Shinsengumi respond in their own way to what's happening around them. Let's see where this goes together!**

 **Once again, please review so that I can have a better idea of what you all think about each consecutive chapter, and favorite/follow if you like the story! Thank you again for the support!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

When Chizuru awoke next, her hands and feet were tied together with a long piece of cloth, and a handkerchief was bound around her mouth to prevent her from speaking. Bright orange sunlight filtered in through her window blinds, and she gasped as she realized the situation. _I guess I really didn't sleep much… Oh no, I have class! What time is it?_ But her worries decreased somewhat as the wall clock blinked "6:00 am." She took as good of a breath as she could to calm herself down; she was sleep-deprived once again, but at least she had some time before she truly had to depart.

"The girl's awake," Harada noted, and Chizuru squeaked. She had almost forgotten that she was now held hostage, and her eyes flickered over to him with a glare.

"Seems like the little miss is angry now. Maybe we should kill her before she attacks us," Okita chuckled.

"Souji, absolutely not," Hijikata sighed as his frustration at the younger man seemed to increase even more.

However, Okita completely ignored the older man's gaze, and instead smirked as he noticed fear seep into Chizuru's already faltering gaze. To avoid his burning stare, she looked at Hijikata, who gave a heavy sigh. He brought his guarded purple eyes to match her own, and asked, "If I untie you and allow you to speak, will you not run away?"

She almost rolled her eyes, but ended up nodding. _This is my home, what do you mean run away?! More like how did you all end up in my room from more than a hundred years ago?_

The man before her grunted in acknowledgment, and another with purple hair and deep blue eyes proceeded to untie the handkerchief around her mouth. Once it came apart, Chizuru drew a large breath of air and moved her mouth to relax her facial muscles.

The man with glasses moved next to her bed and sat in cross-legged position. "I'm going to ask, who are you, and where are we?"

Chizuru raised one of her eyebrows while responding, "I'm Yukimura Chizuru, and you're in my bedroom."

A long pause filled the room. First, each of the men glared at her, but these gazes soon turned into those of bewilderment and surprise. Then, a clamor of voices spilled across the bedroom. "IT CAN'T BE!"

"Why are we in a girl's room?!"

"My, my, isn't this scandalous. Hijikata must be having some urges come up after the last decade or so of abstinence, eh?"

"Souji, I'm going to have your head if you don't keep quiet."

"Vice-Commander, that would not be ideal."

Despite feeling on edge, Chizuru fought down her urge to laugh since the situation she was witnessing was beyond ridiculous. Never did she imagine that her so-called "captors" were in the midst of bickering about something so mundane. However, cold sweat also ran down her back at the fact that her limbs were tied, she could not move, and the men who held her hostage were all part of a famous military group in 19th century Japan. _What's happening to me? Why did they all show up? I must be dreaming, but how else did I get tied? There is no explanation for this phenomenon…_

Despite these wandering thoughts, Chizuru shoved them aside, steeled herself with resolve, and turned her attention to the man who addressed her earlier, "Could you tell me what you are all doing in my room? Also, it's only right since I gave my name that you all give me yours."

He chuckled and nodded, "You are most certainly correct. I am Yamanami Keisuke, or Sannan, and I am the General Commander of the Shinsengumi."

Chizuru bowed down in respect, "Nice to meet you, General Commander."

Hijikata continued to glare at her, but Sannan beckoned him to sit next to him. "Hijikata-san, why don't you come over here?"

He sighed as he then made his way next to the bed as well. "You said your name is Yukimura?"

"Yes," Chizuru nodded.

"I'm Hijikata Toshizo, Vice Commander of the Shinsengumi."

"Nice to meet you," Chizuru bowed in respect. Despite not growing up in Japan, her family still maintained some traditional habits. She therefore decided that despite being scared out of her wits, she'll give respect to those who deserve it. Based on her knowledge of history, that included the men sitting before her.

As her gaze flickered to her bedroom door, the man who leaned against the wall smirked, "Okita Souji, Captain of the First Division."

The purple-haired companion who sat next to Okita's feet then murmured, "Saito Hajime, Captain of the Third Division."

Chizuru bowed each time as she heard, "Toudou Heisuke!" "Nagakura Shinpachi's the name!" and "Harada Sanosuke," which were the names of each of the Shinsengumi captains and commanders. She knew who they were already before they even introduced themselves, but she figured that it would make them more suspicious if she made that fact known.

Once the introductions were over, Chizuru turned to Hijikata's neverending stare. "You said we are in your room?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded.  
"Why?"

Chizuru bit her lip. She didn't know, and she decided to just give an honest answer, "I don't know." In response, Hijikata rubbed his temples as if a headache was beginning to bloom. However, she continued, "But, wait! I have a theory as to what happened…"

Sannan looked at her with an expecting gaze, "Go on."

She drew a deep breath and began, "I think you got transported to the future."

His eyes furrowed. "Future?" Chizuru nodded. Sannan held his fist to his chin and murmured aloud, "That would explain why this room seems so odd for us…"

"Odd?" Chizuru asked.

He nodded, "What year is it?"

"2017."

Another silence befell the room. Chizuru shuffled nervously as she tried to adjust her sitting position to a more comfortable one. As she looked around the room, she noticed that while Hijikata, Sannan, Saitou, and Harada were deep in thought at this new fact, Toudou and Nagakura seemed panicked. Okita, on the other hand, simply closed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest.

 _Should I say anything else? But what would I say? This must be hard on them…_ Her mind raced as she looked to each man and took in their reactions. Chizuru intertwined her toes together, a bad habit from when she was a child, and looked down at her bed to avoid their gazes.

Hijikata broke the silence, but what he said next was not directed towards Chizuru. "Everyone, what are your last memories?"

"I fought the Aizu under 'makoto.'"

"I was protecting you. You didn't forget did you, Hijikata-san?"

"Fought with Shiranui."

"In bed."

"I was on the floor of Sendai Castle, holding your hand, Hijikata-san…" Heisuke murmured. "WAIT!" he then exclaimed, "My hair's long again!"

"Heisuke, did you you seriously just notice that?" Harada chuckled, "We're all in our pre-war attire! I would have expected Shinpachi to not notice this, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised…"

"Eh?! Sano, you're asking for it!" Shinpachi exclaimed as he moved closer to Harada, arms out like he was about to tackle the man.

However, the escalating fight was quickly subdued by Hijikata's shout, "Everyone, stop!" The room quieted once again as he turned his attention to the young woman before him. "It seems that we retained our last memories of death prior to arriving. Yet, we returned to the physical states we had before adopting Western attire. You really don't know why?"

Chizuru shook her head, "I don't know why you all have come here after … death," she hesitated while saying the word.

"But why else would we end up in this young lady's room?" Harada remarked.

Hijikata sighed, "There must be a reason we were thrown into this time period, and much less her room. Yukimura, who are your parents?"

"Koji and Mari… why?" Chizuru asked.

"Hmm," he murmured, his eyes furrowing in thought.

"It seems that what we were expecting is not quite true, is it?" Sannan spoke up.

Chizuru tilted her head, confusion flitting across her gaze, "What do you mean?"

His contemplative eyes met hers, and she noted that he seemed slightly less guarded than before, "Only that someone with your last name played a major role in our demise, but you needn't worry."

Chizuru stopped to think, her gaze landing down at her tied feet again. _I don't recall reading about anyone named Yukimura in the history books, only that the Shinsengumi were loyal to the shogunate and so fell with their master as the Meiji period came to fruition. Maybe that's why they looked like they despised me the second I said my name._ As her thoughts passed through at lightning speed, she wrapped her fingers around each other even though her arms were still tied behind her back. _Maybe there was a reason I could visualize them… Could it be because of my last name? But why? Maybe I should tell them about the figurines…_

But before she could finish her thought process, Shinpachi broke the silence, "Do all of you have symbols on your tabi?"

"Why, Shinpachi-san? You curious about your feet?" Okita teased.

"I'm not joking. I don't understand these symbols, and they were never there before."

Chizuru looked over her bed to find that Shinpachi's tabi, or traditional Japanese sock, had a large "C.Y." on the flat surface. She felt a shiver run down her entire spine as Toudou, Harada, Hijikata, and the others all found the same symbols on their tabi. _Oh no…_

As if he sensed her discomfort, Hijikata turned to her and narrowed his eyes, "You know something about this. Out with it." He watched as the young woman bit her lip and avoided his gaze.

"It seems you should come out with it now. Hijikata-san isn't the most forgiving nor the most patient. Cat got your tongue?" Okita remarked.

Chizuru bit her lip even more and tasted iron, but she was not sure how to proceed. The implications of this realization were huge, and she knew that she had no choice but to tell them about the figurines. However, she was scared about how they would react, and how they would feel at finding out that a piece of clay may have brought them to her time.

She looked to Hijikata and Sannan, both of whom met her gaze. Chizuru swallowed, glanced at the clock that now blinked "7:00 am," and murmured, "Can you untie my hands and feet? I have something to tell you all, and I'd prefer to tell you while sitting comfortably."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey everyone! So I'm back with another chapter, but this took a little longer since I was away for most of this week so sorry for the delay! Just a small heads up (it's really small, I promise!), I decided to play around in this chapter with Hijikata a bit. I wanted to stay in character, and maybe he is still in character, but I decided to take a bit of liberty with how he acted in this scene. Granted, he isn't in Edo period Japan anymore!**

 **Also, thank you to _Stickaroo, nakigaoyuu, StariChanx_ , and the other lovely guest who reviewed! Thank you as well to _Nuvola de Demone_ , _kyisafreakk_ , _chichi123_ , _mteagle128_ , and _Kurious Kitsune_ for favoriting/following! You all are why I have the motivation to continue with this story :)**

 **And for anyone else who comes across this story and chapter, please review, favorite, or follow if you like what you have read! I'm always looking to improve after all, so any suggestions or comments would be appreciated. Thanks again for all the support, and see you soon!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Upon hearing her desire to be untied, Hijikata paused for a brief moment before nodding, "We'll grant your request. Harada-san, if you could untie her."

Nodding, the maroon-haired samurai gently untied the knots that bound her wrists and ankles, and as his fingers grazed over her rope-marked skin, he murmured, "Sorry for treating you so roughly, Yukimura-san."

"No worries, Harada-san," she shook her head. She couldn't blame them for tying her up. They ended up in a different time period, landed in a cramped room, saw a girl they didn't know, and retained all of their previous memories. Any sane individual who entered a similar situation would try to protect themselves from the unknown, and she belonged to that category.

Once the cloth ropes came undone, she massaged her wrists and sat upright on her bed. Chizuru then took a deep breath, and her eyes met with each of the men's gazes. "I know this might sound crazy, and you might not believe me… but I swear that it's true!" she exclaimed, her voice rising a few pitches due to nervousness.

"The fact that we somehow came to the future and ended up in your room is also crazy, isn't it not?" Okita smirked.

Despite his remarks, Chizuru just shook her head, and the next thing that came out of her mouth shocked everyone, "I'm sorry!"

Each of the men looked confused, but she bowed and continued, "I don't know how you all ended up here, but I'm so sorry! I'm sorry for making figurines of each of you! The symbols on your tabi are my initials in English, C for Chizuru, and Y for Yukimura. I like pottery, and I studied about the Shinsengumi in class, so I wanted to create figurines for myself. So I made figurines of each of you, and wrote my initials on the bottom of your right feet. I just finished them a few hours ago, but I didn't mean for you all to transport into my time! I don't know if this is really the cause. However, if my making figurines caused this, I'm so sorry!"

Each Shinsengumi captain and commander sat in shock. However, the surprise soon wore away as they noticed tears fall from the young lady's face. Her back was bent forward in apology, but the morning sunlight illuminated each drop that fell from her dainty nose. Her fingers were wrapped around each other, and Chizuru's entire body shook with sadness.

Each of the captains hesitated; all had questions for her, but none knew where to start. She learned about them, so clearly they made a mark in history. However, it was difficult to gauge what their contributions in the war were. After all, they lost in the end, and it seemed that they weren't in Japan to the language difference. Also, they haven't had a chance to ask Chizuru about what Japan in the modern day and age was like. Despite this realization, any doubts that the Shinsengumi captains and commanders had for the young woman before them died away with each teardrop, and Harada proceeded to pat her on the back, "Now, now, a beautiful lady shouldn't be crying during the rise of dawn, yeah?"

Chizuru sniffled and wiped her eyes with her pajama sleeve. "I'm sorry…" she mumbled another apology, and bit her lips to try and stop the tears.

The youngest captain then scooted himself forward until he sat right in front of her. "Chizuru, was it? Can I call you that?" he asked. She nodded, and he continued, "Call me Heisuke! You don't look like you're much older than me."

"Really?" she asked meekly.

Heisuke nodded in excitement. Chizuru, despite still feeling scared and apprehensive, attempted to smile. "Thank you, Heisuke-san!"

"Oh?" Okita began, "Aren't you getting close quickly, hundred-something-year-old Heisuke? You sure you're her age?"

"Shaddup, Okita-san! I'm trying to be nice! And I look her age, don't I?!" the younger man huffed in frustration.

"I'm just stating what I see, is all," the captain of the first division snickered. "Can't blame you when you have a cute girl sitting in front of you."

Chizuru looked down from Okita to avoid his gaze, and she felt her cheeks heat up. "I'm not cute…" she murmured.

"Yukimura-san," Sannan began, and she quickly turned her attention to him, "I know I'm the only one saying this for now, but I'm sure that no one here blames you for this predicament."

"Really?" Chizuru questioned while sniffling once again.

The older man nodded. "I'm sure we were brought here for a reason. We'll figure out what is happening and what the issue is, and we'll solve it," he answered slowly, each word measured out in steady confidence.

She found herself calming down as his forest-green irises bore into her own. Chizuru didn't really know what was happening, but speaking with Sannan seemed to put her at ease. Therefore, she could think more rationally, and the gears in her head were already turning.

"Little kitten seems to be determined," Okita remarked as he watched Chizuru ball her hands into fists. The men then gawked as she pushed her fists against her cheeks to push her mouth out, shook her head so rapidly that her bed hair fell into an even messier arrangement, and jumped up and off the bed.

Chizuru's own apprehension began to wilt away, and she announced, "I'm going to figure out what is happening and help you out!"

Hijikata raised his eyebrows, "How would you go about that?"

"Well," she responded, "I'm not sure yet, but since we know that somehow you all sprouted from my figurines, at least we have somewhere to start."

Nagakura looked displeased at the word "sprouted," and so he said, "How about 'born' instead of 'sprouted,' eh, Chizuru-chan?"

"Oh, oh, yes," Chizuru put her hand to her mouth in embarrassment, "I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry about him, Yukimura-san," Harada began, "he's blunt like that. Please don't take offense."

"What're you saying, Sano?! I'm just stating what I think!"

The two continued to bicker, and Chizuru sighed. _How am I supposed to help them? I could teach them the ropes of this society, but I don't have any other information…_

Upon noticing her deep in thought, Hijikata voiced, "Yukimura?"

Chizuru shook out of her reverie, "Yes?"

"I think our first plan should consist of learning everything in this time period. We are not so familiar with… many things in this room," he stated, and Chizuru's cheeks turned pink in embarrassment that she didn't think of that earlier, "and that would help us in the long run as we don't know our length of stay, yes?"

"Yes, yes!" she nodded rapidly in nervousness, and Hijikata's lips turned upwards ever so slightly.

However, right as she was about to state her own addition to Hijikata's plan, Chizuru's bed-shaking alarm clock sprang to life. The loudest non-battlefield shrill that the Shinsengumi had ever heard erupted. Before she could even process what was happening, Hijikata drew his sword and chopped the alarm in half.

Not a single person said a word, and Chizuru didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the spectacle of the humming alarm clock sputtering its last bursts of electricity before releasing of puff of gray smoke. Okita, on the other hand, gleefully laughed aloud, "Hijikata-san, I'm not sure that you were supposed to slice that thing in half. Your reflexes sure haven't changed in the last hundred years."

The man in question grumbled, "It was menacing! The sound grated my ears and seemed dangerous."

Chizuru sighed. Now that her most effective wake-up method was out of commission, getting up in the morning was going to be a pain. That, on top of having to help the Shinsengumi adapt from the immense culture shock that they would soon experience, was giving her a headache.

As the men continued to bicker about the broken state of the alarm clock and tease Hijikata about his high-strung reflexes, Chizuru buried her head in her hands. _This is going to be a long day…_

[薄桜鬼]

Once she stepped out of the apartment complex, Chizuru shivered as a strong gust of frigid wind wrapped around her. She rubbed her hands together, which were still cold despite the gloves, adjusted her bookbag, and walked briskly towards the bus station. She was not sure why her hands were still cold despite the thickness of the glove, as her fingers have felt chilled since a few hours ago. Speaking of that very morning, Chizuru reminded herself to thank again Sen for calling her…

 _Earlier…_

 _"_ _I apologize for destroying your… clock," Hijikata bowed towards the silent young woman sitting on the bed. Once Chizuru explained to the whole group what an alarm clock was and why she needed it, the vice-comander not only received an earful of teasing from Okita, Nagakura, and Heisuke, but also blushed in embarrassment as he realized the problem resulting from his actions. Needless to say, he was deeply apologetic, and Chizuru couldn't help but chuckle at his facial expressions. "What's so funny?" he murmured, turning his head away to avoid her gaze._

 _"_ _It's nothing," she replied, "although you could do something for me."_

 _"_ _Yes?"_

 _"_ _So I have to get to school," Chizuru went straight to the point, "and since none of you know much about this time period, I'm going to run a few basics with you and Sannan-san, cool?"_

 _Both commanders perked up at her suggestion, for they wondered what instructions she was about to give them. However, Heisuke whined, "Why not us?"_

 _Chizuru rubbed her temples and turned on her phone's homescreen, a bright "7:20" staring right in her face. "Look, I only have 20 minutes before I have to head to school. Before you ask any questions," she started as she noted the questioning gazes the men gave her, "women in this time period do go to school. Same as men. Also, since I don't have much time to give you enough information about how to live by yourselves for a few hours, I'm going to quickly teach Sannan-san and Hijikata-san a few things so that you all can make sure the house doesn't burn down in your desire to eat food or flood the apartment when you need to relieve yourself. Cool?"_

 _"_ _Yes!" Nagakura cheered, "Food's the best! Speaking of which, I'm super hungry! Who's gonna feed me?"_

 _"_ _You're going to feed yourself," Chizuru retorted as she got off the bed and pulled out a long sweater and thick, black leggings. As she grabbed a hairbrush and started combing her hair out, she continued, "Nowadays, there is much less hierarchy going on, and men, women, and children are all equal. Theoretically. Speaking of which, I'm going to give you only today to keep with the hierarchy you all are used to, hence my giving Hijikata-san and Sannan-san the instructions. By tomorrow, you all are equal as individuals. Understood?"_

 _"_ _Yes, Yukimura-san," Saito nodded in agreement. "I believe that plan is most efficient for all of us."_

 _"_ _Would we get used to it though?" Heisuke wondered aloud. "I mean, we've lived our entire lives with hierarchy."_

 _"_ _Trust me," Chizuru began, "you'll see in the coming few days why we have less hierarchy in modern society. It'll help you in the time that you will stay here."_

 _Hijikata nodded in agreement, "Seems reasonable. We don't know how long we'll be here, after all."_

 _"_ _Eh, I never thought that someone a century younger than us would be the ones to give us commands and instructions," Okita wondered aloud, his eyes twinkling in amusement as he noticed Chizuru give him a quizzical look.  
"Got a problem with that?"_

 _"_ _Not at all. Just interesting," the First Division captain winked at her, and she nearly rolled her eyes at his teasing nature._

 _Just then, Chizuru was about to open her drawer of intimates when she stopped herself. "Can you all close your eyes?"_

 _"_ _Why?" Harada asked?_

 _"_ _I'm about to pull out garments that cover my private parts. Do you all want to witness them?"_

 _At that comment, all the men quickly covered their eyes. "Yukimura-san, if I may ask a question," Sannan-san began while holding his hand over his face._

 _"_ _Yes?"_

 _"_ _What exactly do you need to cover your private parts as a woman? Surely your clothes would do?"_

 _"_ _Ah," Chizuru walked past all of them to head to the bathroom, but left the door slightly ajar so the men could hear her, "you can open your eyes now. Back in your time, the kimino was thick enough that women didn't need additional clothing to bind the chest in place. However, clothes these days don't have as many layers, nor are they as thick. Therefore, women need additional… intimates, let's say, to do the same job."_

 _"_ _That's so interesting," Harada murmured._

 _"_ _Eh, sounds complicated to me," Nagakura laughed._

 _"_ _Of course it sounds complicated to you, doofus. You barely knew how to deal with women's clothes back then too," Heisuke teased._

 _"_ _Whaddya say, you young'un?!" the older man retorted as he took the younger captain by the back of the shirt and began gently shaking him. "Like you know any better!"_

 ** _Too much information…_** _Chizuru thought as she emerged from the bathroom. However, once the men noticed her, all covered their eyes again. She looked at them in confusion, "Is something wrong?"_

 _"_ _Well," Hijikata coughed, "we can see your legs…"_

 _"_ _Huh?" Chizuru responded, her eyebrows raised at first as she didn't understand what he meant. However, that quickly changed as she realized that this was just another moment of culture, and generational, shock for the men. "Open your eyes, it's okay," she continued. Once they removed their hands from their faces, she snickered, "Wait until a few months from now. You'll see the skin on my and other women's legs too."_

 _Chizuru almost laughed as she saw the ghastly expressions on each of the Shinsengumi men. But before she could give in to her subconscious amusement, the EDM ringtone on her phone blasted out. To prevent the destruction of another one of her gadgets from the hyperaware captains, she lunged to grab her phone and answer it. "Hello?"_

 _"_ _CHI-CHAN!" her best friend's voice blasted from the speaker. "WHERE ARE YOU? I'M ALREADY AT THE BUS STOP!"_

 _"_ _Oh my God, Sen-chan, I'm so sorry!" Chizuru panicked. As a result of the events that occurred that very morning, she had completely forgotten that she and Sen were supposed to meet at the bus stop at 7:30 am. "I had something come up, you can go ahead without me!"_

 _"_ _You sure?" Sen asked. "You don't sound too good…"_

 _"_ _Positive, I'm just sleep deprived. Don't worry," Chizuru responded as she held her phone with her shoulder and began to shove her laptop and notebooks into her bag. The men were startled not only at the voice coming out of one of the smallest machines they ever encountered, but also at the pens and notebooks that were flying in their direction. Thanks to their reflexes, each of the commanders and captains managed to catch them._

 _"_ _Alright. Want me to grab you coffee?"_

 _"_ _Latte with two expresso shots, please!"_

 _"_ _You're really going for the caffeine, huh?" Sen remarked, "No problem, I'll get that and save you a seat too."_

 _Chizuru sighed in relief, "Thank you, Sen-chan! I owe you one!"_

 _"_ _Ya sure do. See ya!"_

 _Once Chizuru hung up, she turned to the men in her room. "So, I gave all of you paper and pens, so write down any questions you have for me on those and I'll answer them when I get back. Now, can all of you leave this room and go to the living room? There should be plenty of room to make yourselves comfortable."_

 _The men nodded, and she then laid her attention to the two commanders. "Hijikata-san, Sannan-san, can you come with me? I'm going to show you how to operate a few things. Also," Chizuru emphasized, "none of you leave this apartment under ANY circumstances. Please?"_

Back to the present…

The bus arrived just as Chizuru finished recalling the memory of that prior morning. At this point, whether her apartment would still be functional at the end of the day would be entirely up to the two commanders. She sighed again and closed her eyes since the fatigue was catching up to her. Thankfully, the ride to school was not too long, and Chizuru arrived on campus with five minutes left to spare.

Once she settled down in the classroom three minutes later, she leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath. Sen reached over and began to give Chizuru a short neck massage. "Long night yesterday?"

"Don't even mention it," the tired young woman murmured. "Thanks for the coffee and massage, you're the best."

"No problem. You know that I'm always worried about you. You sure you don't want to just skip today's classes? We don't have anything mandatory…"

Chizuru shook her head, "I can't skip. Not when my livelihood depends on school."

Sen nodded in understanding, but her lips were tilted downwards. "I know, but your health is most important. You know that, right? Also, you could always borrow my notes. I take the same classes as you, after all."

"I know, Sen-chan" Chizuru began, "but I already owe you so much. I can't ask you for any more favors…"

Her friend sighed, "You're so stubborn, Chi-chan." But before she could say any more, the bell rang, and their genetics professor walked into the room. "We'll continue this conversation later," Sen reminded.

Chizuru nodded, and turned her attention to the board. _Time to focus, I'll worry about other things later. As long as they don't destroy anything else, I'm good. Let's do this._


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello everyone! I apologize for the delay, graduate school began and I'm back in the groove of classes and exams. I had this chapter around for the last week or so, but didn't feel like it was ready to submit until now. Nevertheless, I want to thank all of you, the readers, who decided to stick around with my whimsical story and plot.**

 **As there are more and more of you, I'd like to give a shoutout to** eireannlily, Jewelclaw Lady of Wind, sakura1896, LxLawliet, **and** yvictoriavaliente **for following! I really appreciate the support, y'all are the best!**

 **And now here we are, Chizuru and the captains at home, day 2. Hope you all will enjoy this chapter!**

 **xoxo shadowonaqua**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

After what seemed like a long day, classes finished at 2 pm. Chizuru yawned as she got off the bus and took a deep breath prior to entering her apartment. She worried about how the Shinsengumi commanders and captains were doing, but she was more concerned about the financial and living situation that awaited her.

After all, she was living on scholarship money, and having to feed another seven physically active men with those funds seemed, or was, impossible.

Once she arrived at her front door, the young woman pulled out her keys, inserted them into the lock, and let herself in. To her surprise, she didn't hear any noise from the entrance, so she thought that the men left the apartment or were napping. However, upon reaching the largest room in her apartment, Chizuru noticed that all the men sat around the dining table and peacefully sipped jasmine green tea.

The first to notice her was Okita, who opened one eye lazily. "So the kitten's back?"

"I have a name, you know," she retorted while setting her bag down next to the TV.

"I know," the First Division captain responded, "but you remind me of a kitten."

Chizuru sighed in exasperation. "I actually would really, REALLY appreciate it if you just called me Chizuru. To be clear," she stated, and all the captains looked to her, "all of you can call me Chizuru. None of that formality business, I don't care much for it."

"Are you sure?" Saito spoke up.

Chizuru nodded. "Positive. I will continue to address you as you would like, but by the end of this month we'll be on a first name basis unless I state otherwise. How does that sound to everyone?"

"Yosh!" Nagakura exclaimed, "In that case, welcome home, Chizuru-chan!"

"Yep, welcome back home!" Heisuke followed, and Hijikata and Sannan smiled at her.

Despite the fatigue and the impatience that was settling in her bones from earlier in the day, Chizuru smiled. "Thanks! I'm back."

She then approached the stand with her parents' picture frames. "Hello, Mom and Dad," she began while kneeling, and the men all turned their heads to her. "I'm home. I hope you had a good day up there. Today was a bit crazy, so I think I'll take a nap before starting work. It's a good thing that it's Friday tomorrow, I can take it a little easier today."

"Also," Chizuru continued, "somehow the men from the Shinsengumi popped up in my room. Let me introduce you to them!"

But as she turned to begin the introductions, Hijikata shook his head, "We already greeted them. They seem very nice, Chizuru."

Chizuru's eyes welled up with tears. "Thank you… I'm glad you think so."

"We know so," Harada spoke up, his voice laced with sympathy. "You look just like them. Kind and beautiful."

With those words in mind, she nodded in appreciation at the maroon-haired captain. She turned back to the portraits of her parents as she heard a "Stop flirting!" complaint from Heisuke. "Well," Chizuru continued, "it seems you met the Shinsengumi. I hope you like them, as I'll be helping them adjust to this life and figure out how to send them back to their time."

"Anyway, I'm going to go and do things now! Take care, Mom and Dad. I love you," Chizuru ended and bowed at her parents. She then got up from her kneeling position, made her way to the dining table, and sat down with the rest of the Shinsengumi members.

No one said anything as they continued to sip their tea, and Chizuru scratched her head due to the awkwardness. "So…" she began.

"Yes?" Hijikata spoke.

"How was your day today?" she asked apprehensively.

The vice-commander set his mug down before stating, "It was very productive. We managed to feed ourselves and relieve ourselves properly, as per your instructions."

Chizuru snickered at the honesty of this comments. "I'm glad that worked out for you. I see you figured out how to use the tea kettle?"

"Well, once you taught us how to use the gas stovetop, we were able to use the kettle that you had on the counter to at least give us some hot water. You don't mind, do you?" Sannan asked as he turned his gaze to her.

She shook her head, "Totally fine with me. If you all don't mind, I think it may be best if you stayed here until you are able to live on your own. There is still more that I need to teach you all, but let me take a quick nap first." As if on cue, Chizuru yawned loudly.

"Go sleep, Chizuru-chan," Okita smiled, although it was still guarded. "I'm sure if there are any issues then Hijikata-san will know what to do," he remarked as he pointedly gazed at Hijikata.

The commander in topic grumbled as Chizuru nodded and stood up from the table. "I'll be back in half an hour to an hour. Make yourselves at home, but I don't need to tell you that, do I?"

"Don't worry, Chizuru-chan. Rest well," Harada assured.

So she made her way up the stairs, set the alarm on her phone, and crashed into the bed for a good nap.

[薄桜鬼]

Once she woke up, the sky outside was black as onyx despite being only 6 pm. Chizuru blinked her eyes in confusion, only to realize that she completely missed her alarm. She stretched her limbs and rubbed her face to try and rid herself of the fatigue, but it seemed to cling to her like a blanket. Instead of attempting to fight it, Chizuru instead changed into her pajamas and opened the door to go downstairs.

To her surprise, a waft that smelled like soy sauce, dashi, and eggs drifted to her nose. Once she arrived at the bottom of the stairs, two of the Shinsengumi captains turned their heads to face her. "Awake, Chizuru-chan?" Harada inquired.

"Yes… Are you guys cooking?" Chizuru asked while stifling a yawn.

"We're making tamagoyaki! And other stuff," Heisuke exclaimed. "Tonight, you get to eat what we ate back in the day!"

"You mean, what we ate toward the end of our lives," Okita retorted as he walked out with two plates filled to the brim of perfectly-cut Japanese-style egg rolls, "as Hijikata-san was so insistent that we eat eggs to gain more strength, or whatever."

The commander simply grumbled as he continued to drink his tea. Chizuru chuckled before wondering aloud, "Who made them? They smell good!"

"Saito-san and Sannan-san," Nagakura grinned as he came out with another two plates of cold tofu topped with bonito flakes, soy sauce, and scallions and set it on the table.

"Wow…" Chizuru gasped in awe as she saw the sheer amount of protein on the table. She proceeded to move to the kitchen, and saw Saito and Sannan hard at work with a large pot of miso soup. "Saito-san, Sannan-san, do you need any help?"

"Ah, Chizuru-chan, no need," Sannan-san responded with a soft smile before turning back to his ladling of the bowls.

"Deputy Commander, we don't have enough bowls," the purple-haired captain remarked while he pulled out a large tub of spinach that Chizuru happened to buy a few days before.

Sannan-san pushed his glasses up in thought, "My, I think you're right…"

Chizuru scratched her head in embarrassment. "I'm sorry for that! It's okay, there is enough for all of you, I don't need any soup!" she exclaimed.

"No, Chizuru-chan, I can forgo the soup…" the deputy chief tried to deter her.

But she shook her head back at him, "No way, Sannan-san, you guys haven't had any real food in a while. Aka, a hundred or so years. Right?"

"Yes, but…" Saito also tried to state.

"I'm serious, Saito-san, Sannan-san," Chizuru stood her ground, "I can always have more soup another day. I don't need to have it every day."

Both men sighed. "You remind us of Okita-san's sister, Chizuru-chan," Sannan-san chuckled as he ladled another bowl of soup and gave it to Saito to bring to the table.

"Eh?" she tilted her head in confusion.

"Definitely," Heisuke grinned, and Chizuru gasped in surprise to find the captain right behind her. "She was quite headstrong, as are you!"

"Uh…" Chizuru scratched her head again, as she was not sure how to respond.

"Who's comparing Chizuru-chan to my sister?" Okita grumbled as he entered the kitchen as well.

Heisuke froze, "Nothing, Okita-san! Nothing at all! I'm going to set some chopsticks at the table," he quickly mumbled while darting to the drawers, pulling out a whole handful of chopsticks, and slithering past Chizuru and Okita to the dining room.

Chizuru could only stare as Okita shot a quick glare at both men and stormed out of the kitchen. "Uh… Sannan-san?" she asked quietly.

"Don't worry, Chizuru-chan," Sannan began, "Okita-san is sensitive when the topic is about his sister. Try not to mention any of this around him, alright?"

"Yes!" she squeaked. Even though she was not sure what was happening, Chizuru was smart enough not to broach the topic, especially with Okita nearby. She did not know much about him, other than the fact that was was one of the youngest and most talented swordsmen of the Shinsengumi. This may have influenced her decision-making, but Chizuru made a conscious decision to never end up on the receiving end of his wrath.

She was jostled out of her own world, however, upon hearing Nagakura complain, "Sannan-san, where's the rice?! We don't have anything to eat with the rest of this!"

"Yeah, Saito-san! Sannan-san! We won't be full with this!" Heisuke followed up.

"You two, be quiet! If Chizuru doesn't have rice, then we will eat what she can offer," Hijikata berated them. "She is already kind enough to give us access to all of her food and drink."

"Sorry about that, Chizuru-chan," Harada smiled at her as he strode into the kitchen, "those two had the biggest appetites among the rest of us. Most of our food went into their stomachs, to be honest."

She shook her head, "Don't worry, I do have rice! I just forgot to show you guys how to operate the machine. Here, let me get that started. But Harada-san?"

"Yes?"

"Why don't I let you in on a little secret?" Chizuru winked at him, and Harada felt a hint of a blush creep up to his cheeks.

"Uh, what secret?" he mumbled as Sannan walked past him with the last two bowls of miso soup.

Instead of answering, Chizuru simply motioned for him to follow as she brought him to the large cupboard on the far side of the kitchen. From there, he watched and stifled a gasp as she pulled out what looked like eight containers of… something. Harada couldn't quite figure out what the plastic contained, as it was all written in another language that contained many circles.

Chizuru turned around and grinned, "So this is rice too!"

The captain of the Tenth Division stared at the containers. "Really?" he asked, sounding unsure.

"Yeah, instant rice," she continued as she proceeded to open the lids partway on each container, "the kind where you can stick it in the microwave and it's done in a minute."

"We can eat this?"

"Yep! I prefer real rice over this though, so I only eat this when I don't have time," Chizuru said absentmindedly as she stuck each container into the microwave and set the timer.

"Wait, then if this is for dire circumstances…" Harada began.

"Nonsense, I forgot how to teach you all to use the rice cooker, or show you where the real rice is, so you all can eat these for today. You know how long real rice takes to cook," she shook her head and smiled.

"You shouldn't have…" the maroon-haired captain murmured, guilt laced across his handsome features.

Chizuru laughed, "Which is why this is a secret between you and me, got it?"

Harada couldn't help but chuckle as a "Sano! Chizuru-chan! Come over here so I can eat!" a "Don't rush Chizuru-chan, Shinpat-san!" and a "Oh, Harada-san is getting close again," floated to their eardrums. The timer then ended, and he watched as the young woman scooped the piping-hot instant rice to smaller bowls.

Smiling, Harada wordlessly helped her carry four of the bowls to the dining room. "Here is the rice, Chizuru-chan is bringing the rest."

"Whoa! But no one prepared rice! How come we have rice?" Heisuke blurted.

"Don't worry, there's enough for everyone!" Chizuru grinned as she carried out the other bowls. "Alright, everyone, let's eat!"

"Thank you for the meal!" everyone announced as they began to dig into the food. The young woman smiled as she watched the captains truly smile for the first time since that morning. _Food is truly the way to men's heart, huh…_

However, she soon sunk into her own concerns. That one meal used up most of her ingredients, and if she went shopping again the next day, she would go over her weekly groceries budget. Not only that, she was down to her last roll of toilet paper, and the men were still dressed in their samurai clothing. It seemed that she would have go to shopping sooner than she thought.

As the men were not paying attention, Chizuru fished out her phone and texted her best friend under the table. _"Hey, Sen, can I ask for a favor?"_

She turned her phone on silent just as a response came not a second later. _"What's up?"_

 _"_ _An emergency came up. We don't have mandatory classes tomorrow, do we?"_

 _"_ _Nope. Need notes?"_

 _"_ _Yes please!"_

 _"_ _No probs. Take care of yourself though, okay? Let me know and I'll come right over!"_

Chizuru smiled. Sen was always so thoughtful and looked out for her in her hardest times. Her thumb quickly typed, _"Thank you, Sen! Please remember how many times I owe you! I'll pay you back for all this however you want!"_

 _"_ _Seriously though,_ " the following reply flashed on the screen, _"just don't pass out. Pay me back when I am sure that you'll not faint on me one day."_

She held in a chuckle as she sent a thumb-up emoji to Sen and turned off her screen. Chizuru let out a sigh that she didn't know she was holding, and proceeded to take another egg roll from the common plate. _Maybe things will be okay… I'll figure it out. Somehow._

However, a pair of sharp, green eyes followed the young woman's actions and narrowed when her brows relaxed. Okita was not sure why Chizuru seemed relieved, but as he watched the woman laugh at Heisuke and Nagakura's antics, he couldn't bring himself to interrupt her joy.

The captain of the First Division simply hummed as he ate another piece of tofu. "Something wrong, Souji?" captain of the Third Division inquired.

"Nah," the green-eyed man smirked, "just curious as always."

[薄桜鬼]

Chizuru sank into her bed, her entire body sore from the day. It was nearly midnight, and she spent the last few hours showing the Shinsengumi captains how to brush their teeth, operate the shower, use the dishwasher, and operate the rice cooker. To her relief, she somehow had accumulated just enough toothbrushes from the dentist to give one to each captain, and it seemed that they had gotten used to the many noises that modern contraptions made as they stopped flinching at every odd sound around them. She also had them help with rearranging the living room so that all could sleep on the floor. Thankfully, her floors were carpeted, so Chizuru didn't have to worry about unintentionally injuring their backs. However, she only had one large beach towel and a comforter, so the captains were forced to share to stay warm during the night.

Sighing, she opened her planner. After skimming through her tasks, Chizuru had nearly forgotten that her physics problem set was due in two days. She felt her heart rate increase as she also realized that she had not looked at it yet. _Sen was right, three lab classes was a horrible idea. But, thank God that all my labs are on Monday, otherwise I'd be screwed._ Despite the stress she was feeling, she took a deep breath, opened her textbook, and began to work. For the next hour, Chizuru tuned out all her surroundings and concentrated on each problem.

However, her deep focus resulted in her failure to hear a knock on her door an hour or two later. Heisuke could hear a soft hum from the other side of the bedroom door, and he waited patiently for another minute before knocking again. But by the third time he knocked with no response, he murmured, "Chizuru?"

Startled at the voice, she squeaked, "Oh?" Chizuru then put down her pen, walked to the door, and opened it to find Heisuke standing in front of her. "Do you need something?"

To her surprise, the soft scent of chamomile tea drifted to her senses. Heisuke held a steaming cup of the hot and soothing drink, and waited for Chizuru to take it before responding, "Your light was still on, so I made you this. I hope it's okay, you did mention that this tea was good for night-time…"

Her lips turned up in a gentle smile, "Thank you, Heisuke-kun. I really appreciate it." The kind gesture nearly brought Chizuru to tears; the last time someone did something similar was when she was studying for the college entrance exams, and her mother brought her the same chamomile tea late at night. After living by herself, Chizuru seemed to have nearly forgotten what it was like to have someone care for her. Therefore, she was not expecting any of the captains to look out for her in such a way.

The youngest captain scratched his head in embarrassment, "Don't mention it. You've been working hard to help us live here. If someone should say thank you, it should be me…"

An awkward silence then enveloped the space between the two, and Chizuru looked at her tea to avoid his soft gaze. "It's late already, are you going to sleep soon?" she murmured after a few minutes.

"Well," Heisuke began, "I was often awake at night back then, so this is kind of normal for me."

"You were a night owl?"

He chuckled, "Well, yeah, but not by choice."

As he replied, Chizuru noted a small flicker of sadness in his facial expression. _Not by choice?_

Heisuke, however, noticed her look of concern, and quickly continued, "Oh, don't worry, Chizuru! It was nothing, the work I did in the Shinsengumi often had to take place at night."

She bit her lips, but asked, "But isn't staying up late not good for you? How come you had to work at night?"

"Uh…" the man in front of her started, but did not continue as he showed how uncomfortable he was. Instead of answering, he asked, "Are girls nowadays that straightforward? Not to pry or sound mean or anything…"

At that question, Chizuru froze in horror, "I'm so sorry, Heisuke! I didn't realize that was offensive! I'm sorry!" She bowed multiple times; the traditional Japanese side to her seemed to creep out the more time she spent with the captains.

Heisuke's eyes widened, "Wait, no! I didn't mean that! It's okay to ask, I was just surprised that you did."

Chizuru gazed at him in apology, and he returned the look with one of concern as he noticed her bite her lip. The two fell into another period of silence, which Chizuru broke yet again minutes later with, "Well, anyway, thank you for the tea, and for coming to visit me. You should sleep soon, no need to work again at night, right?"

"Yeah," he smiled, "you're right. I'll head down then. Good night, Chizuru."

She nodded and waved, "Good night too! Sweet dreams."

Once she watched Heisuke silently tiptoe down the stairs to the living room, Chizuru closed her bedroom door and returned to her desk. She had many questions for Heisuke, for all of the Shinsengumi captains, really. Why Heisuke had to work during the nighttime in the past. Who with the name of Yukimura led to their demise. Yet, she knew that everyone was entitled to his or her secrets, and so she decided that she was not going to ask anything, unless they chose to confide in her.

Not only that, she had her grades and her finances to worry about. So as Chizuru finished the last calculation for her problem set, she took another deep breath. _One day at a time. That's how I will live my life._


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey all, it's me! I apologize for the lateness of this, medical school sure is difficult... My board exams are coming up in a few months, so my updates will be rather sporadic, but I hope that I can continue more regularly once that is done and finished! In the meantime, I have written a longer update for all of you here, so I hope this can make up for my not updating in a while! Enjoy, and comments/reviews are always appreciated! Also, many of you have favorited/followed this story, so thank you so much for the support! You know who you are :)**

 _ **Louise, northwind132,**_ ** _birdy43:_** **I'm glad you all like the story so far! I definitely have more in store, just need to hash it out over the course of this story.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

"Hey, everyone! I'm home!" Chizuru exclaimed as she entered the apartment. She carried with her seven large shopping bags, and was barely able to kick off her snow boots before dropping the results of her splurge in the middle of the living room.

The captains filtered in, and Nagakura exclaimed, "Welcome back, Chizuru-chan! Whaddya have there?"

She beamed, "I have clothes for all of you! Now you all can fit in with the rest of us!"

"Clothes? But aren't these good enough?" Heisuke wondered aloud while gesturing at his own attire. "I mean, my clothes are kind of similar, right?"

"Haven't you noticed, Heisuke? You look like you came out of a history book," Okita teased.

"You!" the younger captain retorted while getting up to start a small fistfight with the green-eyed man.

Chizuru chuckled as she watched the two captains bicker in front of her. While they continued to sleep into the morning, she made shopping for clothes her first task of the day. Thankfully, she remembered enough written Japanese to leave a quick note stating that she went out and would be back soon. The men had no possessions other than their swords and the clothes on their backs, and Chizuru was sure that they would like to change into clean attire. In addition, she couldn't keep them indoors forever; having clothes that fit the modern times was therefore a necessity.

The clothing trip reminded Chizuru of the many other things she needed to get for the men to live comfortably in her abode. Even though none of them complained about their living situation, she knew that her living room was not only cold at night, but also cramped. She mentally listed off the next few tasks that she aimed to complete within the day, which included buying food, blankets, pillows, towels, and maybe one or two futons. After all, every individual needed necessities to survive in a new era. The only problem was that she did not have enough funds to buy real furniture, so the captains would have to put up with sleeping on the floor for the next few weeks or months.

As Chizuru muttered away, Hijikata, who moved next to her, simply massaged his temples as he listened to his former subordinates bicker. "Is this why you asked for our measurements last night?" he asked, which brought her out of her reverie.

"Yes, Hijikata-san," she confirmed. "Even though we don't really use measurements unless we are getting specially fitted clothes, your measurements did help me to figure out the general size that you are by today's standards." Chizuru then proceeded to give one bag to the Vice Commander, "This one is yours. It should have all the essentials, including shirts, pants, belts, socks, and even a winter jacket. Hopefully this works for you, but if it doesn't, then we can go back to the store and return them."

"Thank you, this should be fine," Hijikata smiled.

"Harada-san, Sannan-san, Nagakura-san, Saito-san, Okita-san, Heisuke," she called as she gave each of them a shopping bag, "these are all yours. Can you try them on and show them to me? If you have questions about how to put things on, let me know too!"

Okita peeked into his bag before asking, "So you want to see how attractive we are?"

Chizuru's cheeks turned red, but she retorted, "No one asked for that."

"Ah, but you must wonder how fit we are, especially since people in this era don't seem to be as active as we used to be," the captain of the First Division winked.

 _Of course I'm curious, you doofus. I'm just trying to be normal here…_ She was fully aware that she was the only female in her apartment, and that the men surrounding her were all rather eye-catching. Despite only knowing them for a solid few days, she wished to continue her life as a decent human being and not openly ogle over how good looking they were. Some boundaries she will not cross, especially as they were all living under the same roof.

With these thoughts in mind, Chizuru faced Okita and responded, "Can you just try the clothes? I want to make sure they fit properly so you don't feel uncomfortable or feel like you're wearing a bag or a rucksack."

"I have to say, Chizuru-chan," Harada began, "your way of describing things is rather… interesting."

"So I've been told," she nodded, "but I really mean it. I tried to choose clothes that were comfortable and stylish. You can tell me if something doesn't feel right, or if it is uncomfortable, and I want to see if the clothes and shoes suit you."

"Thank you, Chizuru," Sannan thanked Chizuru and graciously accepted the bag of clothes from her. "May I use the kitchen if the others will use the bathroom?"

"Of course! I'll just sit here on the couch and wait for all of you to come out."

"I'll be in the kitchen too," Hijikata waved before following Sannan out of the living room.

Saito then asked, "Would it be alright if I used your room, Yukimura-san? I will not look at any of your possessions."

"Call me Chizuru, and no worries, Saito-san," the young woman shook her head in response, "feel free to use my room! You can use my bed to lay your clothes if there isn't enough space."

"May I use your room too, Chizuru-chan? The baka trio can use the bathroom," Okita commented as he slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Souji! We can't all fit in there!" Nagakura complained.

Harada, however, slung his arms around Heisuke and the older captain, "Let's go, you two. We need to give Chizuru some privacy before we show her what she got us, right?" He then proceeded to wink at the younger girl.

"More like you all need privacy, I'm fine where I am," Chizuru retorted. "And no problem, Okita-san."

The green-eyed captain winked at her once again before disappearing up the stairs. Heisuke pouted as Harada dragged him and Nagakura to the restroom. The captain with the bandana managed to barely turn his head to Chizuru and exclaim, "Thanks, Chizuru-chan! I'll wear your clothes well!" before the door closed on him. Since she was barely able to process what happened in the last few minutes, the young woman simply chuckled.

However, not a minute passed when Hijikata stuck his head out of the kitchen entrance. "Chizuru?"

"Yes?"

"Is the tag the front or the back of the pants?"

 _I forgot to mention that, huh…_ "It's the back, Hijikata-san. Same with the shirts as well."

He nodded in appreciation before disappearing into the kitchen. Chizuru smiled as she thought back to the massive shopping trip. _I hope these clothes work well for them, I spent a good amount of time picking them out. At least they can now go outside with me without looking like a cosplayer! I kind of wonder how they'll react to the outside world._

 _Oh, I have to remind them to not bring their swords outside with them too when they come with me. We should find a place to stash them… Unless they want to practice? But how? My apartment doesn't have much space…and real swords in public is a definite no._

At that moment, Okita was the first to arrive in the living room. Out of the outfits that were available in the bag, he downed a forest green fitted plaid shirt with a white muscle shirt underneath for warmth. In addition, a deep brown faux-leather belt held the straight-leg denim jeans at the hip, and black Converse sneakers completed the outfit. Even though his hair was still tied in the traditional topknot from a century ago, Chizuru had to admit that Okita was skilled at pairing clothes together even in the modern world. The look seemed to fit the ruggedness within him, and she liked it.

The captain noticed her gaze, and remarked, "Does this please your eye?"

Chizuru chuckled, "Okita-san, it looks good."

"Oh? I never thought you would compliment me so quickly." After the comment, Okita could not help but smirk.

"Well," she shrugged, "I compliment people when they deserve them. You dressed well even with no guidance from me, so that deserves a compliment."

The young man strode over and planted himself next to Chizuru on the couch. As he relaxed into the couch, he mentioned offhandedly, "Heisuke's right, huh… you really are quite blunt."

"Excuse me?" Chizuru questioned.

"Mah, mah, I'm not sure how much blatant honesty I can take in one go," he smirked. "After all, girls back in the day who were interested used to act shy around us. Yet," Okita's voice dropped as he leaned closer to the young woman, "you just seem to shower us with your thoughts."

Chizuru frowned. "Do you have a problem with that?"

The man chuckled. Instead of directly answering the question, he replied, "You're interesting, Chizuru-chan. Never thought I'd meet a girl like you."

She raised an eyebrow at him as he began to lean closer to her. _Stay calm, he's just being weird. This doesn't mean anything._ As his face drew near, she watched as his deep green orbs locked with hers. A waft of the cologne that the store sprayed on the shirts stimulated her senses, and Chizuru struggled to maintain her composure around the man. She curled her toes in nervousness, and she tried to take a slow but deep breath to calm her increasing heartbeat. Never in her life had she felt this way, and she had no idea what to do.

Okita, on the other hand, was continually intrigued. No matter what he did, the young woman stood her ground, even as her face continued to turn a shade darker with each minute. Her gaze never left his, and he felt alive; women back in his time would draw away when he made any move, and he seemed to unintentionally hold them away at arm-length. Okita knew he was attractive, yet unlike Hijikata, he was more feral in looks and in personality. Such an aura made him rather unapproachable in the olden days, and Chizuru's unflinching personality was a breath of fresh air.

So it was a wonder that this young lady from the future didn't retreat as his lips neared her ear and whispered, "You intrigue me. I wonder why."

Before Chizuru could respond, Okita stood up and made his way to the stairs. "Thanks for the clothes," he turned to face her, smirking once again. "You sure seem to know our physical attributes well."

"You're a brute, Okita-san," Chizuru muttered, and the man simply laughed in glee before disappearing from her view.

In the next hour, the men tried on their clothes and maneuvered themselves through the various clothing types that were in their respective stashes. Once Chizuru approved the attire, she sighed in relief. Despite going to the dollar store to pick out these outfits, the amount of clothing she bought ate up more of her money. Sighing, she moved to the kitchen to grab herself a cup of tea as the men relaxed and chatted in the living room.

Harada noticed as she left the group, and made his way towards her. Once he saw her pour water into the kettle and light the gas stove, he asked, "Something up?"

"Ah, Harada-san," Chizuru smiled at him before turning her attention to the tea leaves that she poured into the cup. "Not much, just making tea. Is there something you need?"

"Not at all," he made his way closer and leaned against the counter, "you just looked like you were thinking of something."

 _Sharp guy, huh_. Chizuru bit her lip and fumbled with her fingers. "Well, it's nothing you need to worry about."

"Sure?" When Harada saw a flash of uncertainty across her features, he smiled sadly. "You know, Chizuru-chan, you can talk to me if you would like. Having us around must be a huge burden for you, you should let me know if you need some help."

She smiled but didn't look at him, "Thanks, Harada-san, but it's okay for now."

"Really? Then what about this?" the maroon-haired man pulled out a slip of paper from his pocket.

Chizuru's eyes widened in surprise and in shame upon seeing the many zeros printed in front of her. "I'm so sorry, Harada-san! I must have forgotten to put that piece of paper away, don't worry about it!" she exclaimed, her face turning a bright red in embarrassment.

"Well," he began as she took the receipt from his hands, "I don't know how money works in today's world, but having that amount of zeros in the final amount seems like a lot to me, don't you think?"

She didn't answer. As the kettle wheezed, Chizuru quickly took it off the stovetop and filled her cup with the steaming water. "Want some, Harada-san?"

"Sure," he nodded, and Chizuru poured him a cup as well.

The two fell into a comfortable silence in the kitchen as they sipped their tea. Chizuru's brows furrowed once again at what she needed to do to afford everything. The obvious answer was to work more at the coffee shop and take more shifts, which would work since her boss was nearing the end of her pregnancy and would need to take time off to prepare for the baby's arrival. However, spending more time at work, in addition to maintaining her grades at school, would mean that Chizuru would sleep even less than she normally would. For the first time in her life, she was running out of ideas.

Next to her, Harada watched as the young woman took another sip of tea. As an early riser, he was aware that she left early in the morning to buy clothes for all of them, and Heisuke had mentioned to him that she slept late the night before. Harada guessed that Chizuru may have only slept a total of four or five hours, which was not enough for any sane person.

And so, once her tea was finished, he patted her on the head. "Harada-san?" she looked at him in confusion.

"Chizuru, could you do two things for me?" he asked.

"Yes?"

"First," he began, eyes glimmering in kindness, "call me Sano."

"Eh? Really?" Chizuru exclaimed in surprise. "It has only been a few days! Are you sure?"

Harada nodded. "I think you and I will be pretty close, no?"

"Well," Chizuru started, but could not finish. If she were honest with herself, she felt closer to him as well over the last two days. He was comfortable to be around, and was a calming presence in her continually hectic life.

He chuckled before continuing, "And second, why don't you go and nap for a bit?"

As if on reflex, she shook her head, "It's okay, Hara… Sano-san!"

"Just Sano's okay, and I'm serious."

"I don't need t-"

At this, Harada gently guided Chizuru to the mirror in the kitchen and pointed at the dark circles lining the lower lid of her eye. "Your eyebags have been creeping out. We haven't given you much sleep, have we?" he murmured quietly.

"Don't say that," Chizuru disagreed, "you guys can't really live independently yet, and if someone has to make sure you're living properly, it would be me."

The captain of the Tenth Division sighed, "Chizuru-chan, I know you have more to do than to make sure we are okay. Trust me, get some sleep. You'll think better later on, right?"

As he watched her hesitate, he continued, "And besides, we've lived through a war before. Surely living in the modern era can't be harder than that?"

Her shoulders slumped as she listened to his logic. Chizuru knew he was right, as she only took short naps during the day to make up for the lack of sleep at night. She not only had dark eyebags, but also had developed a small migraine that throbbed during random times of the day. And speaking of living through a war, Chizuru refused to imagine how traumatizing the experience must have been, as the war marked the end of the samurai way of life. It was possible that living in the current era reminded the Shinsengumi captains of the many losses that they experienced in their previous lifetimes, but she had no way of knowing as the men never discussed such serious thoughts out loud. Instead, they bantered on simple things, such as how Saito still refused to part with his white scarf despite wearing modern clothing or how Nagakura's headband seemed out of place with the polo he donned.

With these thoughts in mind, she turned to Harada. "You're right, Sano…"

"Well, then, I'll help take care of things down here…" he smiled kindly.

However, Chizuru stopped him in the middle. "But Sano? Sorry to interrupt, but if I go nap, can you do something for me as well?"

The maroon-haired captain nodded, and she continued, "I think it's about time that we figure out how you all will begin to truly adjust to this society. I'm also sure that you all want to see the outside for yourselves, right?"

He chuckled in mirth, "Ah, that's a great idea. I'll let the others know. Do you need us to wake you up?"

"Nah, I'm good. I have my phone alarm," she grinned back at him. "Thanks, though."

"Don't worry, Chizuru-chan. Nap well."

And so she made her way back up the stairs to enter the world of dreamland.

[薄桜鬼]

To her own surprise, Chizuru managed to wake up after short twenty-minute nap. She felt more energized, and both her vision and perception were sharper than they were previously. Naps were miracles, and she realized she had taken sleep for granted.

Once she changed into jeggings, a black tank top, and a loose maroon sweater, she walked down the stairs to find the former captains conversing in a serious tone. "Hey everyone, what's going on?" she asked lightly.

Hijikata's eyes crinkled into a small smile, "Hello, Chizuru. We're discussing some things."

"Need some privacy?"

He shook his head, "No need, it may be better if you hear of what we're thinking too."

Chizuru took a seat, and Nagakura began, "So what do we do about practice? There is no space here. No offense, Chizuru."

She smiled and waved her hand, "No, I understand. Are you talking about practicing your swordsmanship?"

Saito nodded, "Yes, we were discussing what to do about maintaining our _kenjutsu_ , and about earning money as well."

"Ah, I see," Chizuru commented. "For practice, I agree, my apartment is too small, and we may risk destroying the walls or other things, since I'm assuming you all go full out when fighting each other…"

"Well," Okita grinned, "Saito takes his time and likes to fool around with us."

"You do the same thing but worse, Souji," Heisuke mumbled in disagreement.

The former First Division captain smirked, "Ya caught me."

Chizuru cleared her throat, the captains quieted down to let her continue. "With regards to this issue, I'm thinking that maybe we can find a park that would allow us to move about freely. We may also need to buy some wooden _bokken_ for you all as well…"

"We need _bokken_?" Nagakura asked, "Why not use our swords?"

The young woman scratched her head and answered, "Swords aren't permitted in public these days."

"Then how do people protect themselves?" Sannan inquired.

"We have a police force," Chizuru nodded at the Deputy Commander, "so the citizens don't exactly have to carry anything like swords or guns. Also, the laws in place are rather clear about the punishments inflicted on those who are involved in physical violence… in most forms."

Hijikata, as well as the other Shinsengumi captains, nodded thoughtfully at the information. He then spoke, "Then we do need _bokken_ to practice with. We may be able to do some basic sword practice indoors in this apartment, but maybe limited to one person at a time. How does that sound to you, Chizuru?"

"Fine by me," she replied kindly.

"Then we can continue this discussion at a future hour. We should think about finances and jobs, so that we can also support ourselves and you since you kindly allowed us to stay in this residence," Sannan mentioned while looking straight into Chizuru's eyes.

"In terms of your earning money," she smiled, "I currently have an idea, but I need to run it by my boss first."

"What is this idea of yours?" he pushed his glasses up his nosebridge while asking.

"So my boss is eight-months pregnant," she started, and the captains raised their eyebrows in bafflement. Chizuru chuckled, "What's with all of your reactions?"

"EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT?!" Nagakura exclaimed, his voice echoing all over the living room, "She should be at home! You mean to tell me she is still working?"

"Yes. Is this so surprising to you, Nagakura-san?" Chizuru raised an eyebrow.

Hijikata shook his head and sighed, "That's not good for the baby…"

"Where is her husband? He should be making sure she stays at home in case the baby comes early," Harada murmured. Saito instead chose to keep quiet and sip on his tea, while Sannan chuckled lightly. Okita snickered at the clear disapproval that Chizuru expressed during the murmurs, and Heisuke grimaced and looked like he wanted to leave the room as soon as possible.

The young woman sighed. "Before you go judging anyone," she began, which elicited expressions of defense from the men, "I'll just let you know that many women in these days do work during their pregnancy. With regards to my boss, the coffee shop that I work at is her 'baby' as she built the entire business from scratch. My friend and I, along with a few other classmates of ours, help her to run the shop, but we probably need more hands since she'll be delivering soon."

Seeing that she had the attention of the group, Chizuru continued, "Anyway, what I had in mind is that we could help her in terms of both manpower and in managing finances, inventory, customer service, perhaps marketing, among other things. How does that sound to you all?"

Everyone around the table nodded. "Although, Chizuru-chan?" Hijikata spoke up.  
"Yes?"

"I am assuming that we would need to know how to use the technology in this day and age in order to make sure the business runs smoothly."

Chizuru grinned and responded, "To teach you all how to use things like electronics and a computer, I was going to bring all of you to the local library and enroll you in one of their free computer classes. I'm actually excited to see you all learn this, since using a computer is essential to get by in today's society. You've seen me use one in the last few days, so the class can help you familiarize yourself with what you have seen me do so far. The first one is tomorrow, are you all down?"

"Down? Like down-dog?" Okita smirked.

The young woman's face flared like a tomato, but she ignored the mischievous captain and continued as before, "Cool, I'll sign all of you up. As for today, why don't you guys follow me outside in a bit so you can get a better idea of this area and where I live?"

"Yes! We get to go outside!" Heisuke exclaimed in excitement as he jumped off the chair and strode to the closet to grab his winter jacket.

"Don't get too excited, we don't know what's out there," Harada laughed.

"There may be more sounds for us to be aware of," Saito commented.

"Oh, and you guys," Chizuru mentioned, "please don't wander off as we walk? I have no way to find all of you if I lose you, and trust me, this city is much bigger than you think it is."

"How big would this city be? Larger than Kyoto?" Hijikata asked as he wrapped his dark purple scarf around his neck.

"Well, I'm guessing larger than the Kyoto of your time, but definitely not larger than the Kyoto of today, I would think," she responded.

To this comment, the captains all looked at each other in surprise, uncertainty, and confusion. _Just how big is this city, and how big is Kyoto now?_

It was not until the entire group stepped out of the apartment that the captains all gaped in shock. As they walked closer to downtown, self-moving machines that made deep, rumbling hums and spat out white plumes of smoke passed by, and another machine connected to wires zipped past them while sounding a loud bell. There was not a single candle or flame in sight, but the streets were lit up by bright lights that offered a wide area of vision at every block. The buildings reached so high into the sky that the men had to crane their necks, and their eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets at the sight of an airplane flying above them.

Chizuru chuckled as she watched their reactions. While Heisuke ran to the door of every corner shop to peek inside, Saito absorbed all the sounds and sights of the modern world in his own, silent way. Nagakura could not prevent his eyes from wandering toward every female whose legs he saw, and Harada smacked the poor man to act more respectfully while erupting in a joyful laugh. Sannan and Okita conversed as they pointed to and discussed about certain objects that caught their eye, and Hijikata placed his hands into the jean pockets and inhaled a deep breath of air.

He fell into pace with their host and glanced at her. Despite the diversity of sounds, volumes, and voices that pounded through his ear, the young woman walking beside him elicited an aura of calmness that he has not felt in a long time. Hijikata recalled the last time he felt at peace, which was during the group's time at the Shiei Hall. With the distant memory in mind, he could only wonder about why Kondou was not among them at the current moment.

While he mulled over his thoughts, the voice next to him spoke, "Something on your mind, Hijikata-san?"

"Ah, Chizuru," he snapped out of his daydreaming, "just recalling the old days."

"Do you mind if I ask about how the old days were like?"

Hijikata chuckled and thought, _Straightforward, not bad._ "We were all part of a _dojo_ , where we trained under our Commander Kondou. I was just thinking of how peaceful those days were."

"Was this before the war?" Chizuru wondered aloud, but soon clapped her hands over her mouth. _Damn it, my mouth. I didn't want to remind him about the war…_

The Vice Commander seemed to catch on to her inner turmoil, as he responded, "Don't worry, ask away. But yes, this was before we became the Shinsengumi."

"Speaking of the Shinsengumi, I really admire all of your trust and loyalty to each other. I read about the group in books and articles, but now that I'm getting to know you all, I truly feel this way," Chizuru smiled at him as she voiced some of her innermost thoughts.

A faint smile graced his lips. "You could say that we were lucky to have known each other. Having their trust helped me through the toughest times," Hijikata's tone turned nostalgic as he gazed at the captains enjoying themselves in front of him.

"Companionship really is nice. Would you say they're family too?"

"Family in every sense, I'd say," he nodded.

"I'm very happy for all of you then, Hijikata-san," Chizuru affirmed while sending him another kind smile.

However, Hijikata could not return the expression, as her eyes betrayed an underlying sadness that tugged at his heartstrings.

[薄桜鬼]

On the night of the last full moon, a red light blinked on a computer screen along with a colorful line graph that updated every second. "Chief, can you look at this?"

In hearing his name, a tall, wide-set man approached his employee and looked over his shoulder. After a quick once over, he nodded, "Can you explain?"

"They're areas of disturbed wavelengths, Sir. Today is the full moon, but these wavelengths are concentrated in one area and are not in sync with the radiation everywhere else in the city and suburbs."

"To what degree is the difference between the disturbance and the surroundings?"

"I cannot give an exact figure at this moment, but it is significant. I've been analyzing this area for the last two hours, and the strength of the radiation has been increasing, albeit gradually. I also checked previous records during full moons, and this also does not match up. If the radiation becomes too strong, it may be enough to cause damage to the wildlife and potentially other organisms or structures…"

The chief nodded in affirmation, "Good work, keep monitoring. Update me in another two hours."

"Yes, Sir!"

* * *

 ** _kenjutsu_** : An umbrella term for all schools of Japanese swordsmanship that predate the Meiji Restoration (before 1867). Kenjutsu originated from the samurai class, and defines the method, technique, and the art of the sword. Schools differ in their practice, methods, and ethics, yet share a common goal of practicing battle techniques without an opponent and techniques where two individual perform full contact strikes to the body. Many of the core members of the Shinsengumi practiced under the _kenjutsu_ school of _Tennen Rishin Ryu_ (天然理心流), which focuses on synthesizing an actual sword fight in every occasion with the goal of obtaining full victory without losing composure in front of the enemy.

 ** _bokken_** : Japanese wooden sword used for training, and resembles a katana in both size and shape.

 ** _dojo_** : Means "place of the way," and used to name a hall for learning or meditation in the martial arts. The core members of the Shinsengumi all trained in such a _dojo_ prior to the formation of the special police force in the Bakumatsu period of Japan.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello everyone! I am back after a long period of studying, but my board exam is over! Thank you so much to everyone who continued to support this story while I was away, whether it was through subscribing, reviewing, or just reading! It really means a lot to me since it tells me (maybe?) that this story still continues to interest readers even if I cannot update all the time.**

 **Also, I really appreciate every review that comes my way! I see these reviews as a way to gauge whether I am able to express the characters in this story as they deserve, and whether the story can capture the hearts of those who want to immerse themselves with the setting, the environment, the psyche, and the cultural differences and barriers that the characters in this story face. Hopefully I am able to do this story justice, as long as it takes me, because I believe their journey is one worth pursuing. I look forward to following them as they figure everything out in this new and complicated world! (Phew, formalities out! But I truly feel this way :3)**

 **As a reward for all of you (hope you like it!), this chapter will be a little longer than usual. As always, thank you for reading!**

 **xoxo shadowonaqua**

 **Small disclaimer: I own none of the characters except my own interpretation of Chizuru's personality.**

 **Another small note : I somehow couldn't attach smaller numbers to some words in the text for the purpose of explanations, so I instead tried to italicize the Japanese words that I thought may be unfamiliar to readers. There are more explanations this time around as Chizuru is using many Japanese terms for various ingredients, but hopefully the descriptions at the end also can be a source of side info for anyone who is curious enough. Let me know what you think!**

 **Last small note : I have a Tumblr page now! It has the same username, and I opened it as suggested by a friend since I am currently writing a fanfic. I haven't done much so far other than reblog a few things that I thought were cool, but my actual posts will probably be Hakuoki-centric. Feel free to follow and request one shots or other scenarios from me on Tumblr! Although if you PM me here too for a request, that's not a problem either :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

"Do we have to cut our hair again? I miss having my long hair like this…" Heisuke complained as Nagakura tried to push him into the hair salon's door.

"We are getting many looks while being out here, and weren't you the one who didn't want people staring at you?" Harada smirked as he watched the younger captain scratch his head in embarrassment.

"I can't decide if I want to deal with the stares and keep my hair as is, or just cut it again..." he mumbled. "Chizuru, what do you think?"

The young woman shrugged, "As I said a few minutes ago, it is completely up to you. I don't mind either way if you get your hair cut."

"Really?" Okita nudged her with his elbow, "But you were talking about how good our hair looked on the way here."

"When I say that it's your choice to get it cut, I do not mean that I don't like your hair. I think you guys look very cool right now. But, even with modern clothes on you all stand out with the period-style hair," she clarified.

"Suits me. See y'all at some point," the First Division captain smirked as he pushed the door open and entered the salon.

Hijikata frowned and rubbed his chin in deep thought. "Are you sure about this, Chizuru? Having us get our hair cut will cost a lot, right?"

"Don't worry, Hijikata-san!" the young woman smiled, "I don't mind spending a bit now for you all to feel more comfortable in this era."

The Vice Commander grunted in acknowledgment and appreciation. Harada had spoken to him a few hours before about the amount of money she spent on their clothes. Hijikata also knew that she was working part-time and studying as a full-time student. He was not sure how long she would last in taking care of them, and his mind raced with possible ways to earn money. Of course, he would need to discuss all those options with Chizuru due to not being familiar with modern civilization, but he decided to take one thing at a time. "We'll pay you back. Promise."

She chuckled, "Don't worry about that right now, go on in if you want to. I will miss your long hair, though, if you do decide to get it cut."

"Then, maybe I should keep it as it is now?" a small smile emerged from Hijikata's usually stoic face.

Her lips turned upward as she shrugged again, "Up to you! Anyway," she began while turning towards the other men, "I'll head inside. Feel free to come in, even if you don't want to cut your hair."

"Heisuke, let's just go in! What if your hair get caught in a tree branch again since it's so long?" Nagakura grinned as he pulled the younger captain into the salon.

"Dude, you were the one who BRAIDED my hair into a _POTTED BONSAI_ , damn it!" Heisuke exclaimed in exasperation.

"Your fault for not being aware while napping!"

"You know what? Maybe I WILL get my hair cut so that I can braid it into a rope and whack you with it!"

"But that won't work anymore, shrimpy Heisuke! Ya just told me your secret!"

"Shrimp?! If anything's shrimpy it's your brain!"

Chizuru tried to stifle her laughter. _Even people from back in the day played pranks on each other… they know each other so well._ Despite the humorous thoughts that fluttered in her mind, she muttered a quick apology to the hairdresser in sight as she glared at the loud duo. "I'm so sorry, I'll get them to quiet down."

"Are they getting haircuts as well?" the stylist answered in a curt tone.

"Some of them are still deciding, but yes, there will be a few more."

"Who is paying?"

"I will be."

"For all of them?" Chizuru nodded. "Do any of them speak English? This one doesn't, so I will need you to translate," she said while nodding towards Okita.

 _I forgot that they don't speak English… so English lessons are needed as well._ The young woman made a mental note to herself while replying, "I'll translate for all of them too."

"Aren't they all lucky to have you. I hope they're all treating you well," another hairdresser who overheard the conversation walked up to the front. "I'll take whoever is next."

Chizuru chuckled and shook her head, "They're very nice to me." After translating for the group, Saito stood and approached the second hairdresser.

"What haircut would you like? And how about a shampoo?" she asked.

After Chizuru translated, the indigo-haired captain answered, "Shampoo, and please cut it so that it looks relaxed, somewhat above shoulder length."

"Oh, you're relaxed, Hajime? That's new," Souji teased while the stylist massaged his washed hair with a towel.

"I am always relaxed," Saito answered while following the hairdresser to the hair wash station.

Chizuru sighed in relief, for Nagakura and Heisuke had stopped their bickering. The rest of the captains sat in the waiting chairs, and she faced them, "After you guys decide to get your hair cut, what if I brought you to Little Japan?"

"Little Japan? What or where is that?" Sannan asked.

"It's an area in this city where many Japanese or people of Japanese descent live. They have some shops, restaurants, and a martial arts academy. I was thinking that we can potentially get _bokken_ , some groceries, and English language books while there. We could also ask to visit the academy, if you want to that is," she answered.

One corner of Hijikata's lips turned up in interest, "That's a great idea. Will the owners there speak Japanese?"

"I think so? I have only gone to the grocery store in Little Japan, but at least the cashiers there spoke Japanese."

"That should work for us, then," the Deputy Commander commented.

"I think it would be easy for all of you to come across as Japanese exchange students, except for the fact that you might not know modern words…" Chizuru mumbled as she realized another potential hurdle for the captains to overcome. "At least you can communicate with some of the people there, though!"

"Don't worry, Chizuru-chan!" Nagakura exclaimed while grinning, "With you around, we'll figure things out here."

"Yeah! Everything will work out, Chizuru! And we'll protect you too," Heisuke nodded in affirmation.

She laughed, "Thanks, but I don't think you need to worry about protecting me. This area is relatively safe, and there are rarely any security problems."

"That is good to hear," Sannan spoke.

"Oh, also," Chizuru remembered and began to pull her phone out of her handbag, "the café that I work at is just a block or two from Little Japan! Let me text my boss to let her know that we will stop by, and I can ask her about what we discussed earlier."

"Text?" Harada asked.

She nodded, "Yep, text. I'm going to write a short, written message through my cell phone to my boss, and she should receive it in a few seconds."

Hijikata closed his eyes as he processed the information. "Is today's society very efficient with communication because of this?"

"Very much so," Chizuru agreed. "The pace of sharing information and communication is much faster because of phones, computers, and the internet, and so all of us can do much more in each day than we were able to back in the day."

"Internet?" Heisuke wondered aloud while looking confused.

"Ah, my bad," she scratched her head in embarrassment, "I forgot that many of these terms are new. I'll tell you about the internet when I get home, how does that sound?"

"No worries, Chizuru-chan," Harada smiled at her. "Take your time, we'll try not to overload you with too many questions at a time."

"It's okay, Sano," she shook her head, "it's just that explaining what the internet is will be easier if I show you how it works on my computer. If there is something that any of you are confused about, please ask!"

The captains all murmured their thanks, and they fell into a peaceful silence. Only a few minutes after, Okita popped out from behind the screen to sport a slightly shorter hairdo from what he had previously. His rustic red hair was now layered, and the natural volume allowed his hair to flare slightly outwards. In addition to his height and physique, the new hairdo easily made Okita look like a fashion model, and Chizuru's eyes widened. _Okita-san doesn't look like he came from the 19_ _th_ _century at all now! He looks pretty good..._

The captain noticed the young woman's look of surprise, and he smirked. "How do I look, Chizuru-chan?"

"You look good, Okita-san," she muttered quickly while turning her gaze to the floor. _Face, don't turn red! Please!_

He chuckled while sitting himself down next to the young woman, "You're avoiding my gaze, I wonder why…"

Just then, the hairdresser who worked with Okita faced the group, "Anyone else?"

And so Hijikata, Harada, and Heisuke were the last captains to get their hair cut. As each captain transformed in front of her, the redness on Chizuru's cheeks deepened in color, which elicited plenty of light-hearted teasing and laughs. _Not my fault all of you now look like present-day actors who have massive fangirl followings and who would possibly flirt with every girl out there._

"Yukimura-san," Saito called as he placed his hand on her shoulder. All the Shinsengumi leaders were standing in front of her with amusement in their eyes. "Are you alright?"

"Uh, yeah," she muttered, standing up to face him. "I'm okay, thank you, Saito-san." He nodded, and she made her way to the front desk. "How much?"

The older hairdresser smiled as she took in the image of the young woman in front of her surrounded by handsome Japanese men. In her eyes, Chizuru looked younger than a college student, and the nature of her clothes indicated that she is not affluent. Therefore, the older woman simply responded, "$100."

"Huh? Wait, I thought…" the Shinsengumi's current host spluttered in confusion.

"I gave you a discount," the lady continued as she peered into the eyes of a now-flustered Chizuru.

"You gave me a third off the original price! That's too much…"

"Nonsense! We're glad to help you fix them up."

At that reply, the young woman's eyes watered. "Thank you so much, Ms.," she expressed her deepest gratitude.

The older woman nodded and gave another wistful smile as she accepted the money, "No need. Use the discount well to feed yourself, young one. You need more meat on your bones."

"Yes, Ms.," Chizuru answered. She knew that she lost some weight compared to the year before, especially since she has been spending more time studying and less time making full meals for herself. However, she has been reducing her own intake so that there was enough food for the commanders and captains, and she was not aware of how quickly the weight loss would become visible to others.

Once the machine rang to confirm the purchase, the hairdresser peeled off the receipt and handed it to the young woman. "Take care of yourself, and make sure these men take care of you as well."

"Yes, I will. Thank you so much!"

"Have a wonderful day, young one!"

[薄桜鬼]

The captains gazed at the grocery store in awe upon entering through the sliding doors. Even though Chizuru had told them that the Japanese grocery store is smaller than the average supermarket in the city, the men had never seen anything else like it. Back in the day, shops sold their groceries along the side of the street, and every customer tried to haggle the best price for the freshest ingredients. On the other hand, items of interest in the store were clearly marked with price tags, and inventory ranged from fresh produce all the way to tables and electric kitchenware.

Chizuru chuckled as she observed the fantastic expressions that each of the men had. While Heisuke and Nagakura's jaws dropped, Okita's eyebrows were raised. Saito blinked as his pupils flittered across the store, and Sannan muttered about how impressive the store was. As she grabbed a cart from the front and began to push it forward, Harada joked that the grocery store would be the best place to stay during an apocalypse or war, and Hijikata openly voiced his opinion on the manpower needed to keep the inventory stocked.

The men were so drawn to the grandeur of the store that Chizuru noticed she had left them behind. "Are you coming?"

"Hai, hai," Okita responded, and the men joined her in the produce section. "What are we getting?"

"Oh, oh, can we get _sakana_?" Heisuke asked jovially. "We haven't had that in the last few days!"

"You mean to say that you don't want more tofu?" Harada teased.

"That's not what I meant…" the youngest captain's cheeks reddened in embarrassment.

"Heisuke, you're going to hurt Hajime's feelings," Okita nudged the now short-haired Heisuke, which elicited a child-like pout.

Saito sighed, "I'm not upset. We haven't had any meat or fish, so it would be nice if we could have some."

"Then let's get some meat and some fish, in addition to vegetables," Chizuru answered. "Any preferences?"

"Get whatever you would like, Chizuru," Hijikata spoke, and the men all confirmed. "We're not picky eaters."

"Then how do eggplant, Napa cabbage, green cabbage, carrots, onions, green onions, yam, _nagaimo_ , _daikon_ , potatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers, spinach, cucumber, _shiso_ , _mitsuba_ , and zucchini sound for fresh produce? If you want to, we could also get some _natto_ , or anything else that catches your eye."

"Sounds good to me. Having all of this is a luxury," Harada smiled.

"No green onions for me, kitty," Okita grinned, "but otherwise good."

"It's Chizuru."

"Hai, hai, I got it," the First Division captain smirked.

"Anyway," Chizuru continued after seeing the other captains nod, "Go ahead to the meat section in front! I think you guys will be impressed. Catch up to you soon, I'm going to get the vegetables and some fruit."

By the time Chizuru reached the men, not only were the men still frozen in fascination at the sights in front of them, but also were close to drooling as they eyed the racks of fresh meats and fish displayed down the aisle. Each piece of beef, duck, pork, chicken, or lamb was neatly packaged and labelled at the front display, and the butcher in the back was working on slicing the pork belly into thin pieces. One display over, freshly-caught mackerel, salmon, tuna, and more were placed on ice, and a sign hanging above indicated the many cleaning methods that the station offered. If only they could afford to buy every type of meat on display, the men all thought.

Chizuru laughed as Heisuke trotted over to her, excited and hyper. "Chizuru-chan, can we get some _saba_? I haven't had that in so long! Please?"

"Of course, Heisuke! Is there anything else you guys want?" she asked before requesting a scaling and cleaning service from the store employee.

"Hm… can you cook meat, Chizuru-chan?" Nagakura asked.

"Depends on what kind of cooking style you want, Nagakura-san. What are you thinking?"

"Hm, I'm not sure," he answered honestly, "we didn't get to eat much meat back in the day."

"Did you all usually eat fish?" she continued.

Saito responded, "Fish was our main source of protein. We didn't have animals to eat back then, and our food was rationed based on what the Bakufu could give us."

"I see," Chizuru nodded, "then how about I get some pork belly, _saba_ , and chicken thigh? I'll cook you guys some modern and more traditional Japanese meat dishes over the next few days, and you guys can tell me how you like the _saba_ to be prepared."

"Sounds wonderful, Chizuru," Sannan smiled. "I cannot wait to try your cooking."

"Oh, Sannan-san, getting cordial too?" Okita teased while smirking.

"I am simply stating my thoughts, Okita-kun," the Deputy Commander's eyes glistened in amusement.

Harada chuckled, "What can we say, Sannan-san voiced what we were all thinking. Right, Hijikata-san?"

The Vice Commander grunted, and Nagakura laughed, "Remember when Hijikata-san burned the whole pot of _miso shiro_? To this day, I still don't get it how you did that!"

Hijikata simply ignored the continued teasing that came from the _baka_ trio and turned to Chizuru, "Can you handle getting this much?"

She nodded, "My paycheck comes in tomorrow, actually, so I should be okay!"

"Alright, but let us know if we need to draw a line for today. If you don't have enough for _bokken_ , then we don't need to get them today, either."

"Thank you, Hijikata-san."

So as Chizuru wandered to the dry ingredients section with Heisuke, Harada, and Nagakura tailing behind her, the other four captains explored the kitchenware area of the store. As Okita picked up a small, ceramic rice bowl with cartoon pandas painted on the inside, Saito whispered, " _Socho, Fukucho_ , I would like to ask a question."

"Yes, Saito-san?"

"I may be wrong, but do you think that someone is watching us?"

Hijikata sighed, and Sannan simply pushed his eyeglasses at the bridge. "I was afraid you would notice as well," the Vice Commander answered.

"Are we sure it's not those girls who have been staring at us from across the store?" Okita smirked while shooting a flirtatious glance at the flustered women down the same aisle. More giggles erupted as the small female gathering shied their gazes and reddening cheeks away from the sharp green eyes a few feet away.

"No, I think it is the man standing near the apples. He is facing us, and though his head is down, he has been with the apples ever since we arrived," the Third Division captain noted.

Hijikata continued to browse through plates and teacups while deep in thought. Saito waited patiently for a few minutes, and only when the commanders did not say anything did the captain ask, "What should we do?"

"I think we should continue as is for now, for we would not want to cause a disturbance in this store. Hijikata-san?" Sannan responded.

The Vice Commander nodded, "Saito, stay here and monitor the man. Help me to choose a nice bowl and utensil set for Chizuru-chan so that she can also have full meals along with us. Note the price so that we can pay her back later. Sannan-san, please notify the others. Souji, come with me, we're going to pick some eggs and milk."

"Eh, Hijikata-san," Okita pouted as a joke while watching the Deputy Commander nod and walk away, "why are you giving Saito all the fun? You know that this would be easier if we just talked to him and killed him if he showed any aggression."

"We have no weapons on us, and physical violence is punished in this era," the older man sighed.

"Mah, how inconvenient," Okita drawled as his gaze flicked over to the suspicious man. "I'd love to have my _katana_ with me right now."

"Souji," Hijikata warned.

"Hai hai, Hijikata-san, no need to get riled. I'll be a good boy."

A few aisles down, Sannan approached Chizuru and the other captains. "Sannan-san, you're joining us now?" the young woman asked.

"Yes, if that's alright?"

"Of course! I'm deciding on another kind of tea apart of _sencha_. Is there one that you would happen to prefer? Or would like to try? Those guys can't decide," she smirked while pointing her thumb at the baka trio who were ogling at the female models plastered over the instant coffee boxes.

Sannan shook his head, and Harada laughed while throwing an arm around Nagakura and yanking his gaze away from the attractive picture, "As we said before, Chizuru, we don't have a preference. Usually it's Hijikata-san that drinks the most tea out of all of us since he works so much."

"Right, Chizuru-chan," Nagakura started while throwing Chizuru a pleading gaze, "can we get some _sake_?"

"I'm not of age yet though, Nagakura-san," Chizuru replied regretfully, "so I can't purchase any alcohol for you. Sorry…"

"Now worries, Chizuru-chan! We'll live… for now," the Second Division captain teased her while ruffling her hair.

Sannan smiled as he observed the interactions before him. Heisuke turned to him as he noticed the Deputy Commander's eyes flicker to the front of the store. "Sannan-san, is something wrong?"

The older man focused on the younger captain, "Have you noticed anything?"

The Eight Division captain sighed, "I was hoping I was wrong, but it feels like someone is watching us."

"Correct. Saito is currently keeping watch, as is Hijikata-san and Okita-kun. I'm sure I don't need to explain to those two either, but make sure that you watch over Chizuru," he leaned in and murmured in a near whisper.

"Will do, Sannan-san," the younger man replied tersely.

Satisfied with that answer, Sannan left the group and made his way to the fruit aisles. As his eyes met Hijikata's and the Vice Commander gave ever the slightest nod, the Deputy Commander approached the suspicious individual. "Sir?"

Beady eyes met the patient gaze that sat behind spectacles. "Whatddya want?" he replied brusquely in Japanese.

"I can't help but notice that you have been standing with these apples for quite a while. May I help you with anything?"

The short and balding man snorted, "Nothin'. Mind your own business, twerp."

Sannan raised an eyebrow in confusion at the new terminology, but nonetheless continued. "Well, if you'd like I can show you around the aisles to some fruits that are very popular among customers."

"I'm not here for fruits, so get the f*** away from me," the said man glared back at Sannan before dropping the apple back into the container and stalking out of the store.

Once the door closed shut, every captain except for Heisuke, who migrated with Chizuru to the baking section, congregated near the rice. As Hijikata and Okita chose a large 40 lb bag of short-grain _hitomebore_ white rice and heaved it onto the cart that Harada pushed over, the Vice Commander grunted, "Sannan-san, what did you think?"

"He is definitely not a normal customer, to say the least. He also seemed rather offended that I talked to him although I am not sure why," the Deputy Commander smirked. "If anything, he knows Japanese."

"You must have scared him, Sannan-san," Okita grinned so much so his canines showed.

"Oh, I'm scary?"

"Always."

"Well," Nagakura continued, "it means that whoever is following us knows that we are Japanese?"

"Seems so," Harada agreed.

"Of all times to feel empty, it's now, eh?" Okita drawled.

"You're not the only one, Souji. Feels odd not having my baby strapped to me," the blue-eyed captain of the Second Division concurred. "So, what should we do?"

"We should keep on the lookout every time we are not at home. Also, make sure Chizuru doesn't know any of this. There is no need for her to be involved," Hijikata concluded. "What do you think, Sannan-san?"

"Indeed, Hijikata-san," the Deputy Commander concurred.

Right as the conversation ended, Chizuru walked over with a bright smile on her face, "I got everything! I chose _sencha_ , _kikucha_ _, hojicha_ _,_ and _gyokuro_ for us! Also, here is some red miso, white miso, and Sendai miso. _Natto,_ soba _,_ udon _, somen_ _,_ mochi powder, _katakuriko_ _, anmitsu_ _,_ coffee, curry roux…" she continued to list each ingredient that she placed in the leftover crevices of the cart. The men's jaws fell in astonishment at the sheer amount of food they will indulge in during the coming week, but Chizuru did not notice anything and asked, "Also, would you all like to try _tonkatsu_?"

" _Tonkatsu_? What's that?" Nagakura asked as Heisuke lugged over a large bag of flour, which he nearly dropped on top of the eggs if it were not for Saito's quick reflexes. Hijikata let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding.

"It's deep-fried breaded pork cutlet, served with a side of cabbage, a little bit of homemade sauce, and rice! It's one of my favorite modern-day Japanese dishes. What do you think?" she explained as her eyes shone in anticipation.

All the captains smiled at her enthusiasm. "Sounds wonderful, Chizuru-chan. We'll look forward to the meal," Harada answered.

"Sweet, then we'll need this," she pulled from behind her a four-pound package of thin-sliced pork chops and gently placed it into the cart.

"THAT MUCH MEAT?!" Nagakura exclaimed, and even Saito's eyes widened even more in surprise.

Chizuru laughed heartily, "Well, I noticed that all of you eat a lot, right? I normally would have said 'eat like pigs' but I didn't want to offend you, or the pig whose meat we will be enjoying, so I'm saying this nicely."

"I would like to eat you then, Chizuru-chan," Okita placed his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him.

"Souji!"

"Okita-kun!"

Exclamations of surprise and disdain filled the air, but Okita simply ruffled the young woman's hair. "Just kidding! Wanted to try saying funny things like Chizuru-chan does. Yare yare, no one understands me."

"That was not proper, Souji," Saito closed his eyes and answered in a level manner.

"Besides," Heisuke grumbled, "Chizuru's embarrassed."

"No, I-I'm not!" she stumbled, surprised at the attention she was given. Her face still had traces of the blush that erupted from just seconds ago, and after a quick inhale she continued, "Anyway, I think we have everything! If not, I can always run by here on my way back from school. Let's go purchase these things."

Harada raised an eyebrow in surprise at Chizuru's seemingly nonchalant attitude as he watched her push the cart forward, and Hijikata leaned in closer. "Sano, what's on your mind?"

"This will get quite interesting, don't you think?" the maroon-haired captain murmured, and the Vice Commander simply nodded.

However, the other captains were so caught up in their own thoughts about Okita's actions that they all flinched in surprise when Chizuru coughed to get their attention. "Are you all done being distracted?" she teased.

"Ah, sorry, Chizuru…" Heisuke rubbed the back of his head.

"No worries," she waved her hand, "just making sure I didn't lose y'all. Should we go to the martial arts academy or bookstore after this?"

[薄桜鬼]

As Chizuru failed to anticipate the amount of groceries they would accumulate from one trip, the group head back to the apartment to store all the ingredients in the right locations. To her surprise, every captain from the Shinsengumi distributed the grocery bags among themselves and gave her none to hold. The chocolate-haired young woman could only follow in silence as she pondered the chivalry that these men had and the culture they grew up in. Nevertheless, she appreciated the help and the kindness they have shown her so far.

After organizing all the newly-acquired ingredients, the group slowly trekked their way back to Little Japan when they came across a flier tacked onto a wooden signboard next to the sidewalk. "Chizuru, what is this? They have swords and look like they're fighting each other. They also have the old hairstyle," Sannan asked while pointing at the Edo-period topknots in the picture, "did they time travel as well?"

"Ah, Sannan-san," the young woman caught up to him and viewed the flier, "that's an advertisement for a samurai movie."

"Samurai movie?" Nagakura piped up.

She nodded before continuing, "We have a form of entertainment called movies, in which actors that portray the story and characters are recorded, and the scenes in which they act can then be viewed on a large screen. That way, they don't have to act the same scenes repeatedly for different audiences, and you can see the entire story as recorded for the rest of history."

"That is truly amazing," Hijikata commented while nodding in approval. "The technology of this time is really unlike anything we knew in our old lives."

"Can we go see one, Chizuru?" Heisuke asked while skipping over to her.

"Of course! We can probably go next weekend once my test is over, how does that sound?"

"Yes!" the youngest captain jumped in glee.

"You're not forgetting us now, are you, Chizuru-chan?" Okita chuckled and smirked while putting an arm around Saito.

Chizuru raised an eyebrow. "Not at all. Why? Are you jealous, Okita-san?" she teased.

"Just checking, because I don't like to be left out," the First Division Captain whispered in her ear before making his way over to the Deputy Commander. His eyes gleamed in mirth as he noticed her cheeks redden once again.

His best friend sighed before turning to the young woman, "Yukimura-san, I apologize for his antics. If it is too bothersome, you don't have to bring us along."

"Nonsense, Saito-san," she shook her head while tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "of course you all can come with me and Heisuke. The more the merrier, and I really hope that you will enjoy your time here. Besides," she glanced at him with a kind gaze, "I like having all of your company."

" _Sou desu ka_ ," the indigo-haired captain murmured as he watched her walk off to join the others ahead of him.

"Oh, and Saito-san?"

"Yes?"

"Please call me Chizuru," she smiled cheerfully back at him.

His heart nearly stopped as she turned away and skipped over to the _baka_ trio. _How long has it been since we have received such a sincere smile?_

Saito did not notice the group leave him behind, for in that lapse of concentration came a newfound appreciation for the unfamiliar world into which he was thrust, the young woman who happened to accept them into her home, and the fortune of being given a second chance at life. He thought he had no regrets in giving his life for the Shogunate, for the Shinsengumi, and for Japan. However, ever since he landed with the others in this society of the future, Saito wondered whether his actions, and that of the Shinsengumi, were the right choices made.

The Third Division Captain was still in a daze when the Vice Commander approached him. "Saito-san, is there something that concerns you?"

He shook his head, "No, _Fukucho_ , but I do wonder if what we did in our past was worth it."

"Oh?" Hijikata murmured in curiosity while falling into pace with his former subordinate.

"If we knew the future would be like this, would we have done the same thing as before? Would we have chosen to stick by the life we knew if we had the knowledge that today's world is so much more safe and secure for the common people?" he murmured in his deep, velvet-like voice.

The older man hummed, his face contemplative as he considered all of Saito's words. A short period of comfortable silence enveloped the two friends as they continued to stroll behind the group. The Vice Commander then raised his eyes to meet those of the indigo-haired man. "Saito…" Hijikata started.

"I apologize, _Fukucho_ ," the Third Divison Captain interrupted, his eyebrows furrowed in thinly-concealed anguish, "please forgive my rudeness and insolence. My words, please do not keep them in your heart."

"I know," the violet-eyed man replied, his gaze sympathetic, "I know where your heart and soul lie, and I truly value the loyalty and trust you have placed in me. However," Saito peered into Hijikata's eyes as he continued, "I understand what you are thinking. Since we came here, I sometimes found myself wondering the same thing. If I knew what the world is like now, what Japan is like now, would I have continued down the same path? To be honest, I am not sure."

Hijikata then paused as he watched Heisuke jump on Nagakura's back, and he chuckled, "All I am hoping for at this point is that we, the true last of the Shinsengumi, can learn from this world and all it has to offer. If we survive this and manage to return, then we will have a world of knowledge that no one else will have the luxury of obtaining, and the Shinsengumi can be even greater than before."

Saito absorbed every word and nodded, " _Hai_ , _Fukucho_."

"You'll stay with us like before, Saito?"

"Always."

Just then, a loud yell erupted ahead of them. "SHINPAT-SAN! YOU ANIMAL HEAD!"

"Animal head?! You're running out of ideas, Heisuke!"

"Chizuru-chan?! Please help me, please, please, PLEASE?!" the teal-eyed captain continued to whimper.

Saito sighed as he viewed the sight before him. Nagakura and Okita were lying on the grass while laughing their hearts away, Harada leaned his arm and head on the nearest tree while containing his mirth, and Sannan shook his head while holding back a smile. Heisuke on the other hand, was close to tears as a squirrel that Nagakura apparently dropped onto his head adjusted itself into a comfortable position and munched on a large acorn. Lastly, Chizuru tried but failed to pick the squirrel off the young man.

"Shit," Hijikata's eyebrows twitched in annoyance. "Nagakura, get the squirrel off Heisuke. Heisuke, we don't have time for games."

"Hijikata-san?! I WASN'T PLAYI-"

"ENOUGH! Even though we're in a completely different time, I still get a headache from you guys…" the Vice Commander muttered as he stalked away from the group.

"Ooh, Hijikata-san's angry. Good job," Okita smirked.

" _Damare_ _!_ Souji, get over here so we can look at the _bokken_!" Hijikata yelled as the group approached the martial arts store.

"Mah, mah, Hijikata-san, you're scaring the locals," the First Division captain teased as he skipped over to the older commander and winked at the curious bystanders.

Chizuru, with her mouth agape in surprise and her eyes widened in confusion, watched the entire scene unfold. Harada laughed as he approached the young woman, "Are you okay, Chizuru-chan?"

"Ah, yes, Sano," she nodded. "Are they always like this?"

"I'd say so," the maroon-haired captain chuckled, "the antics never end among those guys."

"It must be fun for one but frustrating for the other, isn't it?"

"Ah, Heisuke and Hijikata-san may seem annoyed, but I'm sure it would feel odd for both if Shinpachi and Souji didn't act as they usually do."

"I see," Chizuru murmured as she observed Nagakura swing an arm around Heisuke and ruffle the shorter man's hair while he laughed and playfully punched his older friend in the shoulder. Her eyes watered as she took in the scene before her, but she blinked them away before anyone else could notice and proceeded ahead with a brisk stride.

 _I wish to see their smiles last for all of eternity._

* * *

 ** _bonsai_** : "Tray planting" in Japanese, _bonsai_ is a Japanese art form that places small trees in containers and are designed to mimic the shape and scale of full size trees. This tradition has existed for over a thousand years, and aims to elicit contemplation from the viewer and appreciation for the effort and ingenuity of the grower. Furthermore, the practice of _bonsai_ focuses on long-term cultivation and shaping of the tree or trees growing in the container. Therefore, _bonsai_ are not used for food or medicinal purposes.

The Japanese practice of _bonsai_ originated from the Chinese art of _penjing_ during the 6th century, when embassy personnel and Buddhist students from Japan visited mainland China and returned with many Chinese ideas and art forms, including container plants. Over time, these plants appeared in medieval Japanese paintings and writings, and have become a major part of Japanese Buddhism. Prior to 1800, the art of _bonsai_ was an esoteric practice of a few specialists despite interest from the public, but had expanded to become a widely popular art form and hobby by the 19th century. Following World War II, the tradition had spread to Western audiences, and international conventions for _bonsai_ are held every year to host the increasing numbers and quality of _bonsai_ specimens.

 ** _sakana_** : Currently the Japanese word for "fish," this term also refers to food eaten as an accompaniment to alcohol due to the word's origins from _saka_ ( _sake_ ) and _na_ (food). This term can also refer to snacks, especially dried fish and salted fish roe. In the context of this conversation, Heisuke is referring to fish.

 ** _nagaimo_** : Also known as "Chinese yam" outside of Japan, _nagaimo_ (or _Dioscorea polystachya_ ) is a flowering plant of the yam family that is native to China. Nowadays, it grows throughout East Asia due to its introduction to Japan prior to the 17th century. The tubers of _nagaimo_ are unique as they can be eaten raw, while other yams must be cooked prior to consumption due to harmful substances that are present in the raw state. In Japanese cuisine, _nagaimo_ is often consumed raw and grated. This form results in a starchy, mucilaginous texture that can be eaten plan as a side dish or added to noodles. _Nagaimo_ is also used as a binding agent in the batter of okonomiyaki, and is used in the Japanese noodle dish _tororo udon/soba_.

 ** _daikon_** : "Big root" in Japanese, it is originally native to Southeast or continental East Asia. There are various forms of this root vegetable, with the Chinese and Indian varieties tolerating higher temperatures than the Japanese kind. _Daikon_ is commonly cultivated and consumed due to its ability to grow in winter, to absorb nutrients deep in the soil, and to be stored for weeks if kept in a cool, dry place. In Japanese cuisine, _daikon_ is commonly used in pickling, in sauces such as ponzu sauce, and in simmered dishes such as _oden_.

 ** _shiso_** : Also known scientifically as _Perilla frutescens_ var. _crispa_ , this plant belongs to the mint family and is a perennial plant that can be cultivated annually when in temperate climates. There are two forms: red (purple-leaved) and green. The red leaves are used in coloring _umeboshi_ (or Japanese pickled plum), for the shiso leaf turns bright red when it reacts to the vinegar brine that wells from the plums as they pickle. The green leaves are commonly used as an herb in cold dishes such as _somen_ , cold tofu, and sashimi.

 ** _mitsuba_** : Japanese wild parsley. It has a clean and refreshing flavor with a slightly bitter taste that is reminiscent of celery. The sprouts are often used in Japanese cuisine in salads and soups, or atop entrees or sushi.

 ** _natto_** : A traditional Japanese food made from soybeans fermented with _Bacillus subtilis_ var. _natto_. It is usually served with soy sauce, _karashi_ mustard, and bunching onion, and can be an acquired taste due to the powerful smell, strong flavor, and slimy texture. In Japan, _natto_ is commonly consumed with rice or as a breakfast food, and has been around since ancient times. _Natto_ is considered to be a healthy food ingredient due to its containing high levels of vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese, iron, dietary fiber, and protein.

 ** _saba_** : "Mackerel" in Japanese.

 ** _miso shiro_** : "Miso soup" in Japanese.

 ** _katana_** : Swords used by the samurai in ancient and feudal Japan. It is distinctive from other swords due to its curved, single-edge blade with a guard and long grip built to accommodate two-hand wielding.

The word _katana_ was first used to describe a long sword that differed from the even longer _tachi_ during the Kamakura Period (1185-1333), and was first developed due to the Mongol invasions of Japan. Because the _tachi_ were thinner, they were unable to cut through the boiled leather often used in Mongol armor, and would easily break off or chip after usage. During the Muromachi Period (1337-1573), the evolution of the _katana_ continued, and samurai begin to wear the swords with the cutting edge facing up. As Japanese warfare continually focused on close-combat, the _katana_ rose in popularity due to its quicker draw and decrease in response time. To facilitate its advantages, samurai also began to wear the _katana_ thrust through a belt-like sash ( _obi_ ), which allowed them to draw the sword and strike in a single motion. This differed heavily from _tachi_ , which were worn with the cutting edge facing down and suspended from a belt.

 ** _sencha_** : The most popular type of green tea in Japan, it is produced throughout the tea season and represents about 80% of all tea grown in Japan.

 ** _hitomebore_** : A kind of Japanese white rice that is known to be chewy and fluffy, and a close second in popularity to _koshihikari_ rice.

 ** _kukicha_** : A blended tea made of _sencha_ leaves and stems. It is mildly nutty and creamy in flavor as it is made from parts of the tea plant that are excluded in most other teas, and it is also very low in caffeine.

 ** _hojicha_** : A type of Japanese green tea made by roasting _sencha_ or _bancha_ leaves with _kukicha_ twigs over charcoal. The infusions have a light- to reddish-brown appearance, and the roasting replaces the vegetative flavors of other Japanese green teas, resulting in a toasty and slightly caramel-like flavor. Roasting also lowers the caffeine concentrations in the tea, which makes _hojicha_ a popular tea to serve in the evening or after dinner.

 ** _gyokuro_** : Grown under the shade for three weeks before plucking, it is one of the most exclusive types of Japanese tea. This process results in a sweeter flavor and a richer color due to the higher amounts of chlorophyll in the tea leaves. _Gyokuro_ is most commonly grown in the Uji region of Japan (the first tea-growing region of Japan).

 ** _somen_** : Very thin noodles made of wheat flour, and are usually served cold. The noodles are stretched when made, and the dough is stretched with the help of vegetable oil.

 ** _katakuriko_** : "Potato starch" in Japanese, it is made from the roots of the dog-tooth violet, but can also be made from potatoes. It is used as a thickener when dissolved in water, and often added to soups and sauces as well as meat and fish before deep-frying.

 ** _anmitsu_** : A Japanese dessert that has been popular for many decades, it is made from agar jelly and served with sweet azuki bean paste and other fruits and cherries.

 ** _tonkatsu_** : Also known as "deep-fried pork cutlet," it is a popular Japanese dish that originated in the 19th century. It was originally made of beef, but the pork version was invented in Tokyo in 1899. _Tonkatsu_ was originally considered part of _yoshoku_ cuisine, which refers to Japanese versions of European cuisine, but is now considered an important part of modern Japanese cuisine.

 ** _Sou desu ka_** : "I see."

 ** _Damare_** : "Shut up."


End file.
